guiro

noun

gui·​ro ˈwē-(ˌ)rō  ˈgwir-(ˌ)ō 

: a percussion instrument of Latin American origin made of a serrated gourd and played by scraping a stick along its surface

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

As did Romeu, Mr. Virelles plays with accompaniment from just a guiro, the notched and open-ended gourd used for percussion, played here with delicate authority by Rafael Ábalos. —Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ, 29 Oct. 2018

But overall, the album is vintage Romeo in its sophisticated, often jazzy chord and tempo changes, adapted to bachata’s trademark guitar and guiro backbone. —Billboard Staff, Billboard, 12 Dec. 2017

The band of seven musicians, including two singers, will play the cuartro, guitar, congas, bongos, and guiro. —Courant Community, 18 Sep. 2017

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish güiro, literally, calabash

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above