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percussion instrument
noun
: a musical instrument (such as a drum, xylophone, or maraca) sounded by striking, shaking, or scraping
Examples of percussion instrument in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Take five minutes to discover the varied, explosive, resonant sounds of percussion instruments, whether struck, shaken, pounded or scratched.
—Javier C. Hernández, New York Times, 6 June 2024
Accompanied by a gamelan (orchestra) of percussion instruments, the art form immerses audiences in rich narratives that can last all night.
—Karen Gardiner, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2023
Magix bundles a massive 47 Vita virtual instruments that include seven plucked and bowed strings, 22 percussion instruments, nine synthesizers, five keyboards, and more.
—PCMAG, 30 Apr. 2024
The second photo featured a guitar and a percussion instrument.
—Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024
Also, every studio needs a big tub of random percussion instruments and bells and rattles and blocks that are great to mess around with and invariably find their way onto scores just to liven things up.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 15 Feb. 2024
The stores sold woodwind, brass, string and percussion instruments and accessories.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 5 Jan. 2024
Rhythmic beats of traditional percussion instruments could be heard from afar.
—Suhasini Raj Atul Loke, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023
Their first project was instructing special education students in how to make music using drums and percussion instruments.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'percussion instrument.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1872, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of percussion instrument was
in 1872
Dictionary Entries Near percussion instrument
Cite this Entry
“Percussion instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percussion%20instrument. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
percussion instrument
noun
: a musical instrument (as a drum, cymbal, or maraca) sounded by striking or shaking compare brass instrument, stringed instrument, woodwind
More from Merriam-Webster on percussion instrument
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about percussion instrument
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