castanets Hear it!

castanets definition

cas·ta·nets (kas′tə nets′)

plural noun

a pair of small, hollowed pieces of hard wood, ivory, etc., held in the hand by a connecting cord and clicked together with the fingers to beat time to music, esp. in Spanish dances

Etymology: Fr castagnette (sing.) < Sp castañeta, dim. of castaña < L castanea, chestnut: so named from the shape

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.