1782, in the modern sense of "parchment-covered hoop with pieces of metal attached;" earlier "a small drum" (1579), from Fr.
tambourin "long narrow drum used in Provence," dim. of
tambour "drum," altered by infl. of Arabic
tunbur "drum" (originally "lute") from O.Fr.
tabour (see
tabor). The sense evolutions present some difficulties, and in some 17c. and early 18c. references it is difficult to say what sort of instrument is intended. Earlier names for this type of instrument were
tambour de basque (1688), also
timbre and
timbrel.
Tambour itself is attested in Eng. from 1484.
[tam-buh-reen] 
bəˈrin