Definition
n. a small round musical instrument you hold in one hand and shake or hit to make sound. It has small metal discs around the edge that jingle when you move it.
n. a small hand-held percussion instrument consisting of a circular frame fitted with pairs of metal discs that jingle when shaken or struck.
Examples
“She shakes the tambourine to keep the beat.”
“The children clap and shake tambourines while the teacher plays the guitar during music class.”
“From the back of the folk ensemble, the tambourine added a bright shimmer that lifted the chorus without overpowering the strings.”
Examples
simple
“She shakes the tambourine to keep the beat.”
contextual
“The children clap and shake tambourines while the teacher plays the guitar during music class.”
complex
“From the back of the folk ensemble, the tambourine added a bright shimmer that lifted the chorus without overpowering the strings.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tambourine” in context.
Verb
01. hold tambourine
“Hold the tambourine up high so everyone can see it.”
verb + noun
02. play tambourine
“Can you play tambourine in our school band?”
verb + noun
03. shake tambourine
“Shake the tambourine to keep the rhythm.”
verb + noun
04. tambourine jingles
“The tambourine jingles every time she dances.”
noun + verb
05. tambourine rattles
“The tambourine rattles when the bus moves.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. small tambourine
“The child shook a small tambourine and smiled at the music.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. beat of tambourine
“We clapped along to the fast beat of tambourine.”
noun + prep + noun
08. ring of tambourine
“The clear ring of tambourine filled the classroom.”
noun + prep + noun
09. sound of tambourine
“I love the bright sound of tambourine in this song.”
noun + prep + noun
10. keep time with a tambourine
“He keeps time with a tambourine while she sings.”
11. play the tambourine
“She learned to play the tambourine for the concert.”
12. shake the tambourine
“The kids shake the tambourine and sing together.”
Etymology
From French tambourin (“little drum”), from French tambour (“drum”). Ultimately from Arabic طُنْبُور (ṭunbūr); see it and Persian تنبور for more.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/tambourine
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR