beat·box
ˈbēt-ˌbäks
plural beatboxes
1
: an electronic device that adds a backbeat, manipulates sounds, and mimics musical instruments
… loops and layers her voice and music with a beatbox, small keyboard/synth and a laptop …—The Seattle (Washington) Times
2
: a person who vocally imitates percussion sounds : beatboxer
When we first started, I was the beatbox, Treach was the MC, and Kay Gee was the DJ.—Vincent Brown, quoted in VIBE
… he layers many of the 15 songs here with his entirely voice-generated rhythm tracks, turning himself into what rappers call a human beatbox.—George Varga
also
: the performance of such a vocal imitation
… smashed the world record for the longest continuous beatbox … —undertheradar.co.nz
"… My friends there were performing on the downtown scene. One had a piece of spoken word and I said, 'I'll do this beatbox and dance next to it.' …" —Jonny Woo, quoted at Independent.co.uk
—often used before another noun beatbox vocals
The event also will include entertainment by campus dancers, a cappella singers and a vocal beatbox performer. —University of Chicago
Equally impressive was runner-up George Avakian who, during his beatbox performance, instructed viewers to "watch five sounds come out of one human's mouth"—simultaneously, mind you … —Lara de Matos
This five-person professional a cappella singing group … transforms familiar pop, funk, Motown, standards, and Broadway songs with all-new vocal (and beatbox) arrangements. —Kay Johnson
3
: boom box
On the other side of the pool, an American tourist put a cassette in his beatbox. (This was a time before iPods and the internet.)—Martha Kearney
beatboxed; beatboxing; beatboxes
: to vocally imitate percussion sounds : to perform beatboxing
On top of that impressive instrumental work, he beatboxed! … How one can physically make those sounds, we might never know.—Annabel Iwegbue
Lewis beatboxes into Time of the Season. He grabs an acoustic guitar and sings She Will Be Loved.—Olivia Barker
[Ben] Broussard released a self-titled folk album late last year. But he's not confined to one genre. Says his former teammate, [Cincinnati] Reds infielder Brandon Phillips: "The dude can seriously beatbox. …"—Buster Olney
Cite this Entry
“Beatbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beatbox. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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