Meaning & use
drum corps
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Meanings
nouncountable
A group of musicians who march and play drums and other percussion instruments, often in parades or competitions.
Grammar: Countable: a drum corps, two drum corps. The plural can be 'drum corps' or 'drum corps' (unchanged) or 'drum corps' with an -s in some styles; 'drum corps' is most common.
Patterns
- join a drum corps
- a drum corps competition
- play in a drum corps
The local drum corps performed at the Independence Day parade.
She joined a drum corps to improve her marching and drumming skills.
Drum corps competitions attract teams from across the country.
nouncountablemilitary
A military unit that plays drums and other instruments, especially for ceremonies and signaling.
Grammar: In this sense it often appears in historical or military contexts: 'the regimental drum corps'.
Patterns
- the regimental drum corps
- a military drum corps
The regimental drum corps led the soldiers through the town.
In the 19th century, a drum corps helped coordinate troop movements.
The military drum corps played at the general's funeral.
Word forms
| plural | drum corps |
|---|
Common combinations
- drum corps competition
- The drum corps competition lasted all weekend.
- marching drum corps
- The marching drum corps practiced every afternoon.
- join a drum corps
- He decided to join a drum corps after seeing them perform.
- drum corps member
- Every drum corps member must learn to march in step.
Synonyms and how they differ
- marching band
- A marching band includes wind and brass instruments as well as percussion; a drum corps focuses on drums and bugles or other brass, often with a competitive style.
- pipe band
- A pipe band features bagpipes and drums, especially in Scottish tradition; a drum corps is usually American-style and may not include bagpipes.
Commonly confused: drum corps or drum kit?
drum corps vs drum kit
A drum kit is a set of drums played by one person sitting down; a drum corps is a group of people marching and playing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'drum corps' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A drum corps is a group of musicians, so you can 'play in' one. The other options treat it as a single instrument or object, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “drum corps”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.