drumstick

noun

drum·​stick ˈdrəm-ˌstik 

1

: a stick for beating a drum

2

: the segment of a fowl's leg between the thigh and tarsus

Examples of drumstick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sometimes simple is best, as is the case with this basic yet delicious drumstick recipe. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026

Picking up a drumstick and gnawing it clean, past the cartilage and down to the bone, was accepted without a second look. —Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026

Some are clapperless, which means they must be struck with a mallet or drumstick and produce a sharp, solid tone. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026

The space was replete with the repetitive knocking of drumsticks, the undulating rhythm of Qur’anic prayers, and the gut-wrenching murmur of lamentation coming from That is not still (Sesuatu yang tidak berdiam), a 2024 video work about Indonesia’s diverse soundscape. —Hung Duong, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

drumstick

noun

drum·​stick ˈdrəm-ˌstik 

1

: a stick for beating a drum

2

: the lower part of a fowl's leg

Medical Definition

drumstick

noun

drum·​stick -ˌstik 

: a small projection from the cell nucleus that occurs especially in neutrophils of the normal human female and is comprised of an inactivated condensed X chromosome