English Lexicon

Tambourine

/ˌtæm.bəˈriːn/
nounCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #1500 frequency
Full Thesaurus

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A musical instrument consisting of a circular frame with a drumhead and jingles, played by shaking or striking.

    "She played the tambourine enthusiastically during the band rehearsal."
  2. 2

    A small, handheld percussion instrument used in various musical genres.

    "The tambourine added a lively rhythm to the folk song."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'tambourine' comes from the Middle French 'tambourin', which is a diminutive of 'tambour', meaning 'drum'. The term has roots in the Arabic 'ṭanbūr', referring to a type of drum, and has evolved through various languages since the 14th century.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Tambourine"?

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Tambourine"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Tambourine" Synonym Map