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From The Waltz To The Jitterbug: How Classic Dances Got Their NamesAs you may suspect, the term “ballroom dancing” originates with the word “ball.” But what you may not know is that “ball” comes from the Latin word ballare , which means “to dance.” So what about all those dances performed in the ballroom? How did they get their names? The waltz The waltz is now considered a harmless, traditional type of ballroom dancing. But in 1825, …
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per·cus·sion·al, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for percussion
British Dictionary definitions for percussion
percussion
/ (pəˈkʌʃən) /
noun
the act, an instance, or an effect of percussing
music the family of instruments in which sound arises from the striking of materials with sticks, hammers, or the hands
music
- instruments of this family constituting a section of an orchestra, band, etc
- (as modifier)a percussion ensemble
med the act of percussing a body surface
the act of exploding a percussion cap
Word Origin for percussion
C16: from Latin percussiō, from percutere to hit; see percuss
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
Medicine definitions for percussion
percussion
[ pər-kŭsh′ən ]
n.
A method of medical diagnosis in which various areas of the body, especially the chest, back, and abdomen, are tapped with the finger or a plexor to determine by resonance the condition of internal organs.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Culture definitions for percussion
percussion
A family of musical instruments played by striking their surfaces. Percussion instruments are used to accentuate and dramatize certain notes or rhythms and include instruments such as cymbals, drums, triangles, and xylophones. (See kettledrum, snare drum, and orchestra.)
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.