bass drum

American  

[beys] / beɪs /

noun

1. the largest and lowest toned of drums, having a cylindrical body and two membrane heads.

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bass drum British  

/ beɪs /

noun

1. Also called: gran cassa.  a large shallow drum of low and indefinite pitch

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bass drum Cultural  

1. The large drum with a cylindrical shape that gives the strong beat in brass bands.

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Etymology

Origin of bass drum

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

A cello’s has the aura of a bass drum.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

Here are some facts that will help you understand why it’s so very hard to stay cool in your home when the sun is beating on it like a bass drum.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

The orchestral ensemble — 19 string players augmented by a five-octave marimba and a low bass drum — becomes a metaphor for the forest.

From New York Times • Mar. 6, 2023

During his first summer as a professional actor, Bonneville played the bass drum in “Romeo and Juliet,” the cymbal in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and an officer in Shaw’s “Arms and the Man.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 7, 2022

Banging his knee against the golden lard bucket he used for school lunch, he contrived a good bass drum, while his tongue fluttered sharply against his teeth to fill in snare drums and occasional trumpets.

From "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck