percussion

noun

per·​cus·​sion pər-ˈkə-shən 

1

: the act of percussing: such as

a

: the striking of a percussion cap so as to set off the charge in a firearm

b

: the beating or striking of a musical instrument

c

: the act or technique of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resultant sound

2

: the striking of sound on the ear

3

: percussion instruments that form a section of a band or orchestra

percussion adjective

Examples of percussion in a Sentence

He plays percussion for the band.

The marimba is a percussion instrument.

Recent Examples on the Web

Putting their listeners on the streets of their hometown, the Latin Grammy nominated De La Rosa brothers — Mike, Emilio and Milton — flex their ability to bend distorted vocals, forceful percussion and vulnerable lyricism in their garage-leaning production style. —Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024

Produced by Mike & Keys, the beat features soulful undertones and crisp percussion, allowing Nipsey’s motivational lyrics to take center stage. —Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024

The Rainbow shows — just Elton and his piano, with occasional percussion by Ray Cooper and a few fleeting appearances by Davey Johnstone — were prompted by the success of the Edinburgh performance. —Mick Brown, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024

In addition to the strings, there were percussion, horn and woodwinds added to layer the music. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French percussioun, from Latin percussion-, percussio, from percutere to beat, from per- thoroughly + quatere to shake

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing percussion

• on percussion
• percussion cap
• percussion instrument
• percussion section

Kids Definition

percussion

noun

per·​cus·​sion pər-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: the act of tapping sharply

especially : the striking of a percussion cap so as to set off the charge in a firearm

2

: the striking of sound sharply on the ear

Medical Definition

percussion

noun

per·​cus·​sion pər-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: the act or technique of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resulting sound

2

: massage consisting of the striking of a body part with light rapid blows

called also tapotement