percussion

noun

per·​cus·​sion pər-ˈkə-shən 

1

: the act of percussing: such as

a

: the striking of a percussion cap so as to set off the charge in a firearm

b

: the beating or striking of a musical instrument

c

: the act or technique of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resultant sound

2

: the striking of sound on the ear

3

: percussion instruments that form a section of a band or orchestra

percussion adjective

Examples of percussion in a Sentence

He plays percussion for the band.

The marimba is a percussion instrument.

Recent Examples on the Web

Achy joints won’t stand a chance against the Theragun Prime, whose rotating percussion arm and ergonomic multigrip deliver professional-grade muscle treatments to your sore spots. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 17 Oct. 2024

The two dozen or so musicians backing up Wonder included horns, strings, backup vocalists, a traditional guitar-bass-drums pop ensemble, and percussion, all taking up roughly the amount of square footage onstage equivalent to $10,000 a month at Manhattan prices. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024

Discovery Center, an interactive drum and percussion museum run by the Percussive Arts Society. —Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Oct. 2024

Some electronic elements were additionally placed in the background as texture, along with low percussion. —Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French percussioun, from Latin percussion-, percussio, from percutere to beat, from per- thoroughly + quatere to shake

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing percussion

• on percussion
• percussion cap
• percussion instrument
• percussion section

Kids Definition

percussion

noun

per·​cus·​sion pər-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: the act of tapping sharply

especially : the striking of a percussion cap so as to set off the charge in a firearm

2

: the striking of sound sharply on the ear

Medical Definition

percussion

noun

per·​cus·​sion pər-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: the act or technique of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resulting sound

2

: massage consisting of the striking of a body part with light rapid blows

called also tapotement