maraca

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

noun

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

Origin of maraca

1815–25; < Portuguese < Tupi maráka

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for maraca

Historical Examples of 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

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

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