marimba
noun
ma·rim·ba
mə-ˈrim-bə 
: a xylophone of southern Africa and Central America with resonators beneath each bar
also
: a modern form of this instrument
Examples of marimba in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the image of Messier 94, a spiral galaxy that’s also known as NGC 4736, Chandra’s X-ray data becomes a whistling wind while dense features such as neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes ring in crystalline tones from a glass marimba.
—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
4 July 2026
The series has developed a reputation for keeping children glued to the screen, as seen in videos that have gone viral on social media of babies bolting to the television upon hearing the marimba theme song.
—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
The concert features guest artist Gregory Beyer, who will show his skills on the marimba and berimbau and play two of his compositions with the ensemble.
—
Melinda Moore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Sampling gamelan, marimba, mbira, and other idiophones, Friedman summons a microtonal riot of weightless pings that disorients and delights in equal measure.
—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for marimba
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
4 July 2026
The series has developed a reputation for keeping children glued to the screen, as seen in videos that have gone viral on social media of babies bolting to the television upon hearing the marimba theme song.
—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
The concert features guest artist Gregory Beyer, who will show his skills on the marimba and berimbau and play two of his compositions with the ensemble.
—
Melinda Moore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Sampling gamelan, marimba, mbira, and other idiophones, Friedman summons a microtonal riot of weightless pings that disorients and delights in equal measure.
—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for marimba
Cite this Entry
“Marimba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marimba. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
marimba
noun
ma·rim·ba
mə-ˈrim-bə
: a musical instrument resembling a xylophone but with tubes under each bar to help increase the sound
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
