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gamelan

American  
[gam-uh-lan, -luhn] / ˈgæm əˌlæn, -lən /
Also gamelin

noun

  1. an Indonesian orchestra consisting of bowed stringed instruments, flutes, and a great variety of percussion instruments.


gamelan British  
/ ˈɡæmɪˌlæn /

noun

  1. a type of percussion orchestra common in the East Indies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of gamelan

1810–20; < Javanese, equivalent to gamel song accompanied by a gamelan + -an nominalizing suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In particular, they studied the 'bonang', an instrument from the Javanese gamelan built from a collection of small gongs.

From Science Daily

Their December concert will feature Balinese gamelan, and in May, film and chamber music will combine to explore the connection between mothers and their children.

From Seattle Times

The tones suggest Indonesian gamelan music, but with less structured sonic patterns.

From Washington Post

Western audiences would likely experience a learning curve with sonifications that employ, say, the sound of a Javanese gamelan, but a framework that contains such options can flex and adapt to the data’s needs.

From Scientific American

This Balinese composer combines two different gamelan scales in his latest project.

From New York Times