timpani
noun/ˈtɪmpəni/
/ˈtɪmpəni/
(also informal timps
[plural]/tɪmps/
/tɪmps/
)- a set of large metal drums (also called kettledrums) in an orchestraTopics Musicc2Word Originlate 19th cent.: from Italian, plural of timpano ‘kettledrum’, from Latin tympanum ‘drum’, from Greek tumpanon ‘drum’, based on tuptein ‘to strike’.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
timpani