tympani

3 definitions found

tympani - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Kettledrum \Ket"tle*drum`\ (-dr[u^]m`), n.
     1. (Mus.) A drum made of thin copper in the form of a
        hemispherical kettle, with parchment stretched over the
        mouth of it.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Kettledrums, in pairs, were formerly used in martial
           music for cavalry, but are now chiefly confined to
           orchestras, where they are called tympani.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An informal social party at which a light collation is
        offered, held in the afternoon or early evening. Cf.
        Drum, n., 4 and 5.
        [1913 Webster]

  Tympano \Tym"pa*no\, n.; pl. Tympani. [It. timpano. See
     Tympanum.] (Mus.)
     A kettledrum; -- chiefly used in the plural to denote the
     kettledrums of an orchestra. See Kettledrum. [Written also
     timpano.]
     [1913 Webster]

tympani - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  tympani
      n 1: a large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument
           with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension
           on it [syn: kettle, kettledrum, tympanum, tympani,
           timpani]