castanets

British  

/ ˌkæstəˈnɛts /

plural noun

1. curved pieces of hollow wood, usually held between the fingers and thumb and made to click together: used esp by Spanish dancers

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Etymology

Origin of castanets

C17 castanet, from Spanish castañeta, diminutive of castaña _chestnut

Example Sentences

Instead, the Ballet Nacional de España began its program on March 8 with “Invocación Bolera,” a modern evocation of the 18th-century escuela bolero, which is essentially Baroque ballet with Spanish poses and castanets.

From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2024

All castanets and flamenco skirts, this is a big, ballsy cabaret number about love driving you crazy.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2023

Jokes aside, those early experiences of singing, dancing and playing guitar and castanets were formative.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2022

He also played all the instruments: autoharp, kazoo, celeste, bongo drums, castanets, tambourine, three-octave pump organ.

From The New Yorker • Dec. 12, 2018

I secretly bought a pair of castanets and taught myself at least to emulate some of the sounds I heard from above.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers