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

Timberlake famously performed the vocal percussion while on NSYNC’s No String Attached tour in 2000 in a moment that has since gone viral. — Mariel Turner, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Corn became flutes, jalapeños became trumpets, peppers and an avocado pit became a horn, lettuce handled percussion and an onion was drafted to play bass. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 5 Oct. 2026

The tale of a girl on the verge of adulthood facing the threat of immigration agents and haunted by specters from Mexican folklore is told through live actors, sophisticated puppetry and an original score of Indigenous percussion. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Handclaps, stomping percussion and a communal chorus create the kind of infectious energy that naturally gets people moving. — Qygwork, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for percussion

• concussion
• discussion
• belorussian
• repercussion
• byelorussian
• russian

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