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Tambourine - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

A tambourine is a small percussion instrument with jingling metal discs around a circular frame. It is played by shaking, tapping, or hitting it against the hand to produce rhythmic sounds.

tambourine

/ˌtæm.bəˈriːn/ /ˌtæm.bəˈriːn/

Definition:

A percussion instrument with jingling metal disks, played by shaking or hitting.

Synonyms:

hand drum, frame drum, percussion instrument

Part of Speech:

noun

Antonyms:

silence, stillness

Common Collocations:

shake the tambourine, play the tambourine, tambourine rhythm

Derivatives:

tambourinist, tambourining

Usage Tips:

Hold the tambourine firmly and shake or tap it to produce sound.

Common Phrases:

shake like a tambourine, tambourine beat, jingle like a tambourine

Etymology:

Derived from French 'tambourin', a diminutive of 'tambour' (drum), from Persian 'tabīr'.

Examples:

  • 1. She played the tambourine during the song.
  • 2. The tambourine added a lively rhythm to the music.
  • 3. He shook the tambourine gently to keep time.
  • 4. Children love the bright sound of a tambourine.

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