Main Entry:

cas·ta·net

Pronunciation:

\ˌkas-tə-ˈnet\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Spanish castañeta, from castaña chestnut, from Latin castanea — more at chestnut

Date:

circa 1647

: a percussion instrument used especially by dancers that consists of two small shells of hard wood, ivory, or plastic usually fastened to the thumb and clicked together by the other fingers —usually used in plural

[castanet illustration]