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2 definitions found

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:

  Instrumental \In`stru*men"tal\, a. [Cf. F. instrumental.]
     1. Acting as an instrument; serving as a means; contributing
        to promote; conductive; helpful; serviceable; as, he was
        instrumental in conducting the business.
  
              The head is not more native to the heart, The hand
              more instrumental to the mouth.       --Shak.
  
     2. (Mus.) Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an
        instrument, esp. a musical instrument; as, instrumental
        music, distinguished from vocal music. ``He defended the
        use of instrumental music in public worship.'' --Macaulay.
  
              Sweet voices mix'd with instrumental sounds.
                                                    --Dryden.
  
     3. (Gram.) Applied to a case expressing means or agency; as,
        the instrumental case. This is found in Sanskrit as a
        separate case, but in Greek it was merged into the dative,
        and in Latin into the ablative. In Old English it was a
        separate case, but has disappeared, leaving only a few
        anomalous forms.
  
     {Instrumental errors}, those errors in instrumental
        measurements, etc., which arise, exclusively from want of
        mathematical accuracy in an instrument.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  instrumental
       adj 1: relating to or designed for or performed on musical
              instruments; "instrumental compositions"; "an
              instrumental ensemble" [ant: {vocal}]
       2: serving or acting as a means or aid; "instrumental in
          solving the crime" [syn: {implemental}]

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