noun

percussion

p-KUH-shuhn

noun

Musical instruments played by striking, shaking, or scraping, such as drums and cymbals.

"The percussion section kept the beat steady throughout the piece."

The act of one object striking another, especially to produce sound.

"The percussion of hailstones on the roof kept them awake."

A medical technique of tapping on the body to help diagnose a condition.

"The doctor used percussion on his chest to check for fluid in the lungs."

How to Use Percussion

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAnything to do with hitting or striking — most commonly, drums and similar instruments in music.

Common pairings

percussion instrument percussion section drums and percussion

percussions plural

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The _____ section kept the beat steady throughout the piece.

From Latin percussio, "a striking", from percutere, "to strike through" (per- + quatere, "to shake").

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