maraca

[ muh-rah-kuh, -rak-uh ]

/ məˈrɑ kə, -ˈræk ə /

noun

a gourd or a gourd-shaped rattle filled with seeds or pebbles and used, often in a pair, as a rhythm instrument.

Nearby words

Origin of maraca

1815–25; < Portuguese < Tupi maráka

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for maraca

Davey was thrashing in the water, his face swollen and bloody, his eyes rattling like dried peas in a maraca.
Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town|Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for maraca

maraca

/ (məˈrækə) /

noun

a percussion instrument, usually one of a pair, consisting of a gourd or plastic shell filled with dried seeds, pebbles, etc. It is used chiefly in Latin American music

Word Origin for maraca

C20: Brazilian Portuguese, from Tupi

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

Word Origin and History for maraca

maraca

gourd rattle used as a percussion instrument, 1813, from Portuguese, from Brazilian native name.