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percussion

Pronunciation: /pəˈkʌʃ(ə)n/
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Definition of percussion

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1musical instruments played by striking with the hand or with a stick or beater, or by shaking, including drums, cymbals, xylophones, gongs, bells, and rattles: [as modifier]:percussion instruments
  • 2the striking of one solid object with or against another with some degree of force:the clattering percussion of objects striking the walls and the shutters
  • Medicine the action of tapping a part of the body as part of a diagnosis: the chest sounded dull on percussion

Derivatives

percussionist

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin percussio(n-), from the verb percutere 'to strike forcibly' (see percuss)

Spelling help

Remember that percussion is spelled with a double s.

percussion in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of percussion in the US English dictionary
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