tympany

noun

tym·​pa·​ny ˈtim-pə-nē How to pronounce tympany (audio)
plural tympanies
1
: tympanites
2
: bombast, turgidity

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin tympanias, from Greek, from tympanon

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tympany was in 1528

Dictionary Entries Near tympany

tympanum

tympany

tymps

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Tympany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tympany. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

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Medical Definition

tympany

noun
tym·​pa·​ny -nē How to pronounce tympany (audio)
plural tympanies
1
: tympanites
2
: a resonant sound heard in percussion (as of the abdomen)

More from Merriam-Webster on tympany

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tympany

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