percussive
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- nonpercussive adjective
- percussively adverb
- percussiveness noun
- unpercussive adjective
Etymology
Origin of percussive
First recorded in 1785–95; percuss(ion) + -ive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I think the jazz drumming thing is new to the game,” Lievsay says of the percussive element that grows in prominence as the fights’ stakes increase.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025
He arrived in New York City in the early 1960s, and by the age of 20 drew attention to his plays, a riot of percussive energy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025
By the third song, Sit Down, Stand Up, they're flexing their musical muscles, with an extended outro of percussive lunacy, aided by US session musician Chris Vatalaro.
From BBC • Nov. 21, 2025
“These kinds of celebrations, you can never have too many,” infielder Miguel Rojas shouted in Spanish over a loud soundtrack of percussive music that played in a loop.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2025
Little percussive hisses of music were leaking from his ears.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
