tantara

noun

tan·​ta·​ra tan-ˈter-ə 

-ˈta-rə,

-ˈtär-ə 

: the blare of a trumpet or horn

Did you know?

Tantara is a shortening of the Latin taratantara, an onomatopoetic word that in ancient times that evoked the terrible sound of the war-trumpet. When "tantara" entered English in the 16th century, the sound it evoked was a merry one. "Tantara, tantara, the trumpets sound, / Which makes our hearte with joy abound," wrote Humphrey Gifford in 1580. Today, "tantara" is sometimes used as a synonym of "fanfare," a word for a short, lively sound of trumpets that may also be onomatopoetic in origin.

Word History

Etymology

Latin taratantara, of imitative origin

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined above

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