tom-tom

[ tom-tom ]

noun
  1. a drum of American Indian or Asian origin, commonly played with the hands.

  2. a dully repetitious drumbeat or similar sound.

Origin of tom-tom

1
First recorded in 1685–95, tom-tom is from the Hindi word ṭamṭam

Words Nearby tom-tom

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tom-tom in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tom-tom

tom-tom

noun
  1. a drum associated either with the American Indians or with Eastern cultures, usually beaten with the hands as a signalling instrument

  2. a standard cylindrical drum, normally with one drumhead

  1. a monotonous drumming or beating sound

verb-toms, -tomming or -tommed
  1. (tr) informal to pass (information, esp gossip) around a community very quickly

Origin of tom-tom

1
C17: from Hindi tamtam, of imitative origin

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