Meaning & use
timbales
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Meanings
nounpluralmusic
A pair of shallow metal drums played with sticks, used especially in Latin American dance music.
Grammar: Plural noun; takes a plural verb: the timbales are loud.
Patterns
- play the timbales
- a timbales solo
The percussionist kept a driving rhythm on the timbales.
Timbales give salsa music its sharp, bright accent.
He added a short timbales break before the chorus.
nounpluralmusic
The section of a band or orchestra that plays these drums.
Grammar: Plural; used with a plural verb when referring to the players.
Patterns
- the timbales come in
- feature the timbales
The timbales come in right after the trumpet.
The arrangement features the timbales prominently.
Word forms
| singular | timbale |
|---|
Common combinations
- play the timbales
- She learned to play the timbales in a Latin band.
- timbales solo
- His timbales solo brought the crowd to its feet.
- a pair of timbales
- He set up a pair of timbales beside his congas.
- timbales rhythm
- The timbales rhythm drives the whole piece.
Synonyms and how they differ
- kettledrums
- Kettledrums (timpani) are large orchestral drums with a deep sound, while timbales are smaller and higher-pitched.
- bongos
- Bongos are small hand drums; timbales are larger, mounted on a stand, and played with sticks.
Word family
- timbalero noun
- A musician who plays the timbales.
Commonly confused: timbales or timpani? timbales or timbale?
timbales vs timpani
Timpani are the large orchestral kettledrums; timbales are the smaller Latin dance drums.
timbales vs timbale
The singular timbale can mean one drum, but in cooking it means a baked dish.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses 'timbales' correctly.
Choose one answer.
Timbales are drums, so tuning them before a salsa number fits. The food-related options describe a 'timbale', a baked dish, not the drums.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “timbales”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.