cymbal

[ sim-buhl ]
See synonyms for cymbal on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a concave plate of brass or bronze that produces a sharp, ringing sound when struck: played either in pairs, by being struck together, or singly, by being struck with a drumstick or the like.

Origin of cymbal

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English cymbal, cymbala, from Old French cymbale, cymble , and from Medieval Latin cymbalum, from Latin, from Greek kýmbalon, derivative of kýmbos, kýmbē “hollow vessel, cup”

Other words from cymbal

  • cym·bal·er, cym·bal·eer, cym·bal·ist, noun
  • cym·bal·like, adjective

Words Nearby cymbal

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How to use cymbal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cymbal

cymbal

/ (ˈsɪmbəl) /


noun
  1. a percussion instrument of indefinite pitch consisting of a thin circular piece of brass, which vibrates when clashed together with another cymbal or struck with a stick

Origin of cymbal

1
Old English cymbala, from Medieval Latin, from Latin cymbalum, from Greek kumbalon, from kumbē something hollow

Derived forms of cymbal

  • cymbaler, cymbaleer or cymbalist, noun
  • cymbal-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for cymbal

cymbal

A large, round metal plate used as a percussion instrument. Cymbals can be crashed together in pairs or struck singly with a drumstick, and they are used in dance bands, jazz bands, and orchestras.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.