Cymbal
//ˈsɪmbəl// noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A concave plate of metal, usually brass or bronze, that produces a sharp, ringing sound when struck: played either in pairs, by striking them together, or singly by striking with a drumstick or the like.
"The trumpets, sackbuts, psalteries and fifes, Tabours and cymbals and the shouting Romans, Make the sun dance."
- 2 a percussion instrument consisting of a concave brass disk; makes a loud crashing sound when hit with a drumstick or when two are struck together wordnet
Example
More examples"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not mercy, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."
Etymology
From Middle English cymbal, from Old English cimbal, cimbala and Old French cimbale, both from Latin cymbalum (“cymbal”), from Ancient Greek κύμβαλον (kúmbalon), from κύμβη (kúmbē, “bowl”). See also chime.
Related phrases
More for "cymbal"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.