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

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

There are voices, like Mariamielle Lamagat’s and Themba Mvula’s, to stop you in your tracks; there are pieces of the eclectic orchestra that delight by their presence alone — a baritone flute, a theorbo lute, a bunch of plastic buckets played with drumsticks. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025

How about a helping of movie theater popcorn to go along with that drumstick? —Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025

Season two chickens-worth of pieces (breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks) with salt and pepper. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2025

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