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cymbalist

cymbalist

8.2
A person who plays cymbals in a band or orchestra
  • noun
  • /ˈsɪmbəlɪst/
translation icon : cimbalista
  • The cymbalist added dramatic flair to the performance with each loud crash of the cymbals.

Examples

  • During the parade, the cymbalist marched proudly with his band, filling the air with bright, ringing sounds.

  • As the orchestra played, the cymbalist stayed focused, ready to punctuate the music at just the right moment.

  • With my eyes on the cymbalist, I listened nervously as the music built to a crescendo, but the piece finished uneventfully and intermission arrived.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

percussionist
vscymbalist
8 4.4

A musician who plays instruments you hit, like drums or cymbals

is a player who focuses only on one instrument type within ensembles

Surface Forms

cymbalist singular
cymbalists plural

Morphology

cymbalist = cymbal (transparent) = cymbal + ist

The agentive suffix '-ist' added to the noun 'cymbal' yields 'cymbalist' meaning 'one who plays cymbals', a regular and deducible formation.

Etymology

Cymbalist comes from cymbal, a 'round metal plate' used to make a loud crash in music, plus the ending -ist meaning 'one who', just like pianist or guitarist. So a cymbalist is someone who plays the cymbals in a band or orchestra.