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Definition of castanet

castanet

/ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/
cas · ta · net
Plural:castanets
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castanet Lexical Profile

castanet Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small, concave shells made of wood, ivory, or plastic that are held in the hand and clicked together by the fingers, traditionally used to accompany Spanish and Latin American dancing.

Example

"The flamenco dancer rhythmically snapped her castanets as she spun across the wooden stage."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for castanet

Word Nuance & Usage

Almost exclusively used in the plural form ('castanets') since the musical instrument functions as a paired set.

• Rhymes for castanet

• Nearby Words

cassia
cassoulet
cassowary
castanet
castle
castlereagh
cat

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from the Spanish 'castañeta', a diminutive of 'castaña' (chestnut), originating from Latin 'castanea'. The name refers to the instrument's visual resemblance to a pair of chestnuts.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Castanet. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/castanet
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