cymbal

noun

cym·​bal ˈsim-bəl How to pronounce cymbal (audio)
: a concave metal plate (as of brass or bronze) that produces a brilliant clashing tone and that is struck with a drumstick or is used in pairs struck glancingly together
cymbalist noun

Examples of cymbal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Here, everything from the driving kick drum to Callahan's rich vocals to the sparkling cymbals in the high end is reproduced clearly. PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024 The Elizabethan Revival building was erected as a birthday present for the family’s 16-year-old daughter and has a stage at the end of a 75-foot-long, half-timber-style hall heated by a massive stone fireplace and presided over by a pipe organ and gargoyles playing cymbals and drums. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2024 Similarly, the three included cymbal pads benefit from honeycomb rubber, mesh and venting as well. New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024 Singer Gibby Haynes squirted flammable liquid on a cymbal, set it ablaze, and kept smashing the cymbal with a drumstick—flames shot up to the ceiling! Simon Reynolds, Pitchfork, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cymbal 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English cymbal & Anglo-French cymbele, from Latin cymbalum, from Greek kymbalon, from kymbē bowl, boat

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cymbal was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cymbal

Cite this Entry

“Cymbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cymbal. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cymbal

noun
cym·​bal ˈsim-bəl How to pronounce cymbal (audio)
: a brass plate that is struck with a drumstick or is used in pairs struck together to make a clashing sound
cymbalist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cymbal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!