gamelan

noun

gam·​elan ˈga-mə-ˌlan 

-ˌlän

: an Indonesian orchestra made up especially of percussion instruments (such as gongs, xylophones, and drums)

Examples of gamelan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are Indian ragas, Middle Eastern maqams, Indonesian gamelan, Japanese koto, West African kora, and Central African balafon. — Steve Hochman, SPIN, 15 July 2026

One of the younger cousins tells me about her gamelan lessons. — Literary Hub, 22 May 2026

On his latest album, the Russian producer crafts distinctive dub techno rhythms inspired by the chiming repetitions of Indonesian gamelan music. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026

The meal was made more captivating by traditional Balinese entertainment, which included dance practice for young local girls, their instructor, and a small gamelan orchestra. — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Javanese, going back to Old Javanese gamĕlan "percussion instrument, ensemble of percussion instruments," from gamĕl- "playing of a percussion instrument" + -an, noun-forming suffix

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above