bass drum

American  

[bays] / beɪs /

noun

• bass drums
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bass drums
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of bass drum

First recorded in 1795–1805

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bass drum

The following track, “Death Wish,” is about the torment of a new love gone bad, and it unfolds over plucked acoustic guitars and a distant bass drum that sounds like a heartbeat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

But it was fun to see Jake Clemons put his saxophone down to smack a bass drum hard enough that you could hear it without apparent amplification.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2024

All but one song is written by Cato and on one tune alone, he’s credited with acoustic guitar, bass, drums, tambourine, seed shaker, concert bass drum, lead vocals and background vocals.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 8, 2023

Lives Lived: In 1973, John Adams brought his bass drum to a Cleveland Indians game.

From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2023

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

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