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Definition of tambourine

tambourine

/ˌtæm.bəˈriːn/
tam · bou · rine
Plural:tambourines
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tambourine Lexical Profile

tambourine Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A percussion instrument consisting of a small, shallow drumhead with loose metallic disks or jingles attached to the rim, played by shaking or striking it with the hand.

Example

"The lead singer energized the crowd by shaking a tambourine to the rhythm of the song."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for tambourine

• Rhymes for tambourine

• Nearby Words

tambo river
tambopata
tambora
tambourine
tame
tamely
tameness

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle French 'tambourin', a diminutive of 'tambour' (drum), which ultimately derives from Middle Persian 'tabīr' or Arabic 'ṭunbūr'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tambourine. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tambourine
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