chocalho

noun

cho·​ca·​lho

shüˈkal(ˌ)yü

variants or less commonly chucalho

plural -s

: a Brazilian rattle commonly consisting of a gourd with its dried seeds inside or a metal sphere with pellets and used as a rhythm instrument

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, cowbell, rattle, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin cloccaculum, from Medieval Latin clocca bell

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!