marimba

American  

[muh-rim-buh] / məˈrɪm bə /

noun

1. a musical instrument, originating in Africa but popularized and modified in Central America, consisting of a set of graduated wooden bars, often with resonators beneath to reinforce the sound, struck with mallets.

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marimba British  

/ məˈrɪmbə /

noun

1. a Latin American percussion instrument consisting of a set of hardwood plates placed over tuned metal resonators, played with two soft-headed sticks in each hand

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Etymology

Origin of marimba

1695–1705; < Portuguese < Kimbundu or a related Bantu language; akin to kalimba

Example Sentences

When reminiscing about playing the marimba at weddings and quinceañeras as a kid, he recalls the strong emotions he felt when listening to Mexican cumbias.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2024

He holds small mallets in his “hands” to play a kind of xylophone called a marimba.

From NewsForKids.net • Apr. 1, 2024

She looks around the living room, which is virtually empty beyond a chair, a sofa and a marimba sitting in the corner.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2023

Sylvestrov’s “Mystère” was a symphony of percussion in which the alto flutist Ginevra Petrucci elegantly snaked her way through a battery of timpani, cymbals, glockenspiel, marimba, Thai gong and more.

From New York Times • Mar. 19, 2023

With a final kick, a final marimba concert, a final autumnal lunge through leaf stacks, they went home.

From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury