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Definition of cymbal

cymbal

/ˈsɪm.bəl/
cym · bal
Plural:cymbals
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cymbal Lexical Profile

cymbal Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A percussion instrument consisting of a slightly concave, circular brass or bronze plate that is either struck against another identical plate or struck with a drumstick to produce a loud, ringing, or clashing sound.

Example

"The orchestral piece reached its dramatic climax with a resounding crash of the cymbals."

Word Nuance & Usage

"Cymbal" (a musical instrument) is a homophone of "symbol" (a mark or sign representing something else) and is frequently confused with it in spelling.

• Rhymes for cymbal

• Nearby Words

cyclura
cygnet
cylinder
cymbal
cymbidium
cymbidium orchid
cynodont

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'cimbal' and Old French 'cimbale', derived from Latin 'cymbalum', which comes from Ancient Greek 'kýmbalon', based on 'kýmbe' meaning 'bowl' or 'cup'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cymbal. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cymbal
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