Timpani
//ˈtɪmpəni// noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The set of precision kettledrums in an orchestra.
"Since the timpani is a legato instrument, a note must be allowed to sound and ring to achieve the full effect of the drum."
- 2 plural of timpano form-of, plural
- 3 a large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension on it wordnet
Example
More examples"Since the timpani is a legato instrument, a note must be allowed to sound and ring to achieve the full effect of the drum."
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian timpani, plural of timpano (“drum”), from Latin tympanum (“drum”), from Ancient Greek τύμπανον (túmpanon), from τύπτω (túptō, “I strike, I hit”). Doublet of tympanum, timbre, timbal, and tymbal.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.