kettledrum

noun

ket·​tle·​drum ˈke-təl-ˌdrəm How to pronounce kettledrum (audio)
: 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

Illustration of kettledrum

Illustration of kettledrum

Examples of kettledrum 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.
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

Word History

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kettledrum was in 1602

Dictionary Entries Near kettledrum

Cite this Entry

“Kettledrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kettledrum. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

kettledrum

noun
ket·​tle·​drum -ˌdrəm How to pronounce kettledrum (audio)
: a large brass or copper drum that has a rounded bottom and can be varied in pitch

More from Merriam-Webster on kettledrum

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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