Illustration of kettledrum
kettledrum
noun
ket·tle·drum
ˈke-təl-ˌdrəm 
: a percussion instrument that consists of a hollow brass, copper, or fiberglass hemisphere with a calfskin or plastic head whose tension can be changed to vary the pitch
Examples of kettledrum in a Sentence
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The second movement, with its loud kettledrums, is an attempt to break through the despair.
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Gina Kolata, New York Times, 6 May 2024
With membrane and magnet in place over the cup, the finished device is like a tiny kettledrum: Thump on it, and the drumhead vibrates.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024
The tape-staticky gourd rattle and kettledrum boom.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2018
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Gina Kolata, New York Times, 6 May 2024
With membrane and magnet in place over the cup, the finished device is like a tiny kettledrum: Thump on it, and the drumhead vibrates.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024
The tape-staticky gourd rattle and kettledrum boom.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Kettledrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kettledrum. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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kettledrum
noun
ket·tle·drum
-ˌdrəm
: a large brass or copper drum that has a rounded bottom and can be varied in pitch
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