Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: percussio 'act of hitting', from percutere 'to hit hard'

percussion

 noun
     
Related topics: Music, Colours and Sounds
per‧cus‧sion [uncountable]
1APM musical instruments such as drums, bells etc which you play by hitting them:
Tonight we have Paul Duke on percussion (=playing a percussion instrument).
 ➔ brass (2), stringed instrument, wind instrument, woodwind
2

the percussion (section)

the people in an orchestra or band that play musical instruments such as drums, bells etc
3C formal the sound or effect of two things hitting each other with great force
—percussionist noun [countable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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