piphat

noun

pi·​phat ˈpē-ˈpät 

: any of several Thai classical musical ensembles that are used in religious ceremonies, dance dramas, and puppet theater and that feature gong chimes, xylophones, and drums

The piphat … is the regional ensemble that most resembles the Indonesian gamelan.

—Peter Fletcher, World Musics in Context, 2001

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

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