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tambourine

tambourine

21 3.4
A small hand drum with metal jingles that you shake or hit
  • noun
  • /ˌtæm.bəˈriːn/
translation icon : pandereta
  • People join in and add to the music with whistles, tambourines, and shouted 'whoop/whoop' sounds.
  • tambourine and drum

Grandma's hands played the tambourine so well.

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Examples

  • When she finished, there wasn't anything left in church but the sound of the tambourine.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • In one corner, a bony woman on her knees continued to beat the tambourine that had mesmerized her.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • But you have a tambourine in your hand, a tambourine being associated with, you know, as a woman and things like that.

  • I could use a tambourine player.

  • The teacher might also ask children to move and then match the rhythm of a tambourine to their movement.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Grandma's hands played the tambourine so well.

  • Hey, I play a mean tambourine if you're interested.

  • Annette and I clapped in time to the tambourine, making soft smacking noises.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Then they would hop up and dance down the aisles, shaking tambourines and chanting.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • During the concert, the percussionist played the tambourine, adding a lively rhythm to the music.

Synonyms

timbrel
vstambourine
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A small hand drum like a tambourine used long ago in ceremonies

is a shallow modern drum with metal disks set into the frame
tympany
vstambourine
  • Archaic
9.9

A drum-like instrument played to make rhythm

is the modern name for the shallow handheld drum with metal disks

How Loud

bass drum
  • Specialized
5 3.0
gong
30 3.2
snare drum
3 3.5
tambourine
21 3.4
percussion
20 3.8
xylophone
7 5.3
triangle
7 2.1

Surface Forms

tambourine singular
tambourines plural

Etymology

The word tambourine comes from the French tambour meaning 'drum' plus the ending -ine that makes it 'small', so it literally means 'small drum'. The French word came from Persian tanbur, a musical instrument, which is why a tambourine is a little drum you shake to make a bright jingle.