drummer

American  

[druhm-er] / ˈdrʌm ər /

noun

• drummers
  plural

1. a person who plays a drum.

2. a commercial traveler or traveling sales representative.

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idioms

1. march to a different drummer, to be motivated by a different set of values than the average person.

drummer British  

/ ˈdrʌmə /

noun

1. a person who plays a drum or set of drums

2. a salesman, esp a travelling salesman

3. slang the slowest shearer in a team

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drummer More Idioms  

1. see march to a different beat (drummer).

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• drummers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of drummer

First recorded in 1565–75; drum ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A drummer is a musician who plays the drums. The drummer in a rock band might play a huge set of many different drums and other percussion instruments. A professional drummer could play in a marching band, a classical symphony, or a country and western group. A casual drummer can be someone who taps on the bongoes in a city park or takes drumming lessons and practices in her basement. The word drummer comes from drum, which has a Germanic, imitative root — it's a word that sounds like its meaning.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

drummer drummers

This past June, Mr. Threadgill stood center stage flanked by pianist Vijay Iyer and drummer Dafnis Prieto at Manhattan’s Jazz Gallery, where these three first played as a trio 15 years ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

It also brings stellar guitar work, a new drummer and features Dulli’s vocals in a way you haven’t heard them previously.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

ZZ top lead vocalist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard in 2009.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

The veteran drummer had also missed shows because of an emergency appendectomy in 2002.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

An undated eighteenth-century handbill announcing an exhibition of three of Vaucanson’s automata: the flute player, the drummer and the digesting duck.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

"The world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top," Gibbons said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

"Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas," Gibbons said.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Pipers and drummers, including in the upper decks of the arena, delivered a rousing rendition of Flower of Scotland.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

I’ve played with drummers where you do a fill and then they do all this fast stuff, which I don’t do.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

We think she ran off with one of Herman’s drummers.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis