Illustration of kettledrum
kettledrum
noun
ket·tle·drum
ˈke-təl-ˌdrəm 
: a percussion instrument that consists of a hollow brass, copper, or fiberglass hemisphere with a calfskin or plastic head whose tension can be changed to vary the pitch
Examples of kettledrum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The movement began with loud kettledrums, and the crowd cheered wildly.
—
Gina Kolata, New York Times, 6 May 2024
The second movement, with its loud kettledrums, is an attempt to break through the despair.
—Gina Kolata, New York Times, 6 May 2024
With membrane and magnet in place over the cup, the finished device is like a tiny kettledrum: Thump on it, and the drumhead vibrates.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024
The tape-staticky gourd rattle and kettledrum boom.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2018
The women hammered kettledrums and struck a gong suspended from a pagoda.
—Julie Lasky, New York Times, 4 July 2017
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.
Gina Kolata, New York Times, 6 May 2024
The second movement, with its loud kettledrums, is an attempt to break through the despair.
—Gina Kolata, New York Times, 6 May 2024
With membrane and magnet in place over the cup, the finished device is like a tiny kettledrum: Thump on it, and the drumhead vibrates.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024
The tape-staticky gourd rattle and kettledrum boom.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2018
The women hammered kettledrums and struck a gong suspended from a pagoda.
—Julie Lasky, New York Times, 4 July 2017
Dictionary Entries Near kettledrum
Cite this Entry
“Kettledrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kettledrum. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kettledrum
noun
ket·tle·drum
-ˌdrəm
: a large brass or copper drum that has a rounded bottom and can be varied in pitch
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share