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 movement began with loud kettledrums, and the crowd cheered wildly.
—
Gina Kolata,
New York Times,
6 May 2024
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Gina Kolata,
New York Times,
6 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Kettledrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kettledrum. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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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