tambourine

noun

tam·​bou·​rine ˌtam-bə-ˈrēn How to pronounce tambourine (audio)
: a small drum
especially : a shallow one-headed drum with loose metallic disks at the sides played especially by shaking or striking with the hand

Illustration of tambourine

Illustration of tambourine

Examples of tambourine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The horns section snarled, the background vocalists riffed, and Olivia picked up multiple instruments herself – the tambourine, guitar, shakers, and the piano. — Sidney Madden, VIBE.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Conolly played his Vox Continental organ with one hand while banging a tambourine on his thigh with the other. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026 The actress was seen beaming and throwing up her arm while posing for a group photo that included Manolo, who held a tambourine featuring a photo of his mother's face. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026 Suzanne Crough played Tracy, the youngest Partridge sibling and the group's resident tambourine player. — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tambourine

Word History

Etymology

Middle French tambourin, diminutive of tambour

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tambourine was in 1579

Rhymes for tambourine

See All Rhymes for tambourine

Browse Nearby Words

tambourin
tambourine
tambourinist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tambourine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tambourine. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tambourine

noun
tam·​bou·​rine ˌtam-bə-ˈrēn How to pronounce tambourine (audio)
: a shallow drum with one head and loose metal disks at the sides that is played by shaking or striking with the hand

More from Merriam-Webster on tambourine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tambourine

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