kettledrum

American  

[ket-l-druhm] / ˈkɛt lˌdrʌm /

noun

1. a drum consisting of a hollow hemisphere of brass, copper, or fiberglass over which is stretched a skin, the tension of which can be modified by hand screws or foot pedals to vary the pitch.

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kettledrum British  

/ ˈkɛtəlˌdrʌm /

noun

1. a percussion instrument of definite pitch, consisting of a hollow bowl-like hemisphere covered with a skin or membrane, supported on a tripod or stand. The pitch may be adjusted by means of screws or pedals, which alter the tension of the skin

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kettledrum Cultural  

1. A drum consisting of a skin stretched over a large shell in the shape of a half-sphere. The pitch of the kettledrum can be changed by manipulating screws at the edge of the skin or pedals at the bottom of the drum. Kettledrums are usually used in classical music in sets of two or more and are known by their Italian name, timpani.

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Other Word Forms

• kettledrummer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of kettledrum

First recorded in 1595–1605; kettle + drum ¹

Explanation

A kettledrum is a very large drum typically consisting of a drum head stretched across a copper bowl. Most large orchestras include kettledrums in their percussion section. A typical set of kettledrums has four different sizes of drums, but some orchestras have eight or more. If you've ever noticed a sound like thunder in a classical piece of music, you're probably hearing the kettledrum. The word comes from the kettle-like shape of the drum's bowl, and kettledrums are also commonly called timpani.

Example Sentences

Writing in the Bauhaus Journal, he said that each production required an “appropriate aural expression,” but added, “For the time being, such simple stimulators as the gong and the kettledrum are enough.”

From New York Times • Aug. 22, 2019

The kettledrum thump of the furnace kicking on.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2018

Her voice today sounds like gravel dripping onto a kettledrum; her teeth have been capped four times; her tall, big-boned frame suggests the rambling form of her older brother, Dan Dailey.

From Time Magazine Archive

Whipping around to strike his No. 4 kettledrum once, he flailed empty air.

From Time Magazine Archive

The drummer was banging his biggest kettledrum to make it sound like a rumbling cannon.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein