Agogo
/ˌɑːɡəˈɡoʊ/noun
A percussion instrument consisting of one or more small metal bells joined together and struck with a beater.
Did you know?The agogô became especially prominent in Brazilian candomblé and samba, where bell patterns can carry rhythmic and ceremonial significance.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Yoruba
àgògò
“Bell; a bell-like signaling or musical instrument”
19th Century
Portuguese
agogô
“A metal bell instrument, especially in Brazil”
19th–20th Century
Brazilian Portuguese
agogô
“A typically double-bell percussion instrument used in Afro-Brazilian music”
20th Century
English
agogo
“A bell instrument adopted into English descriptions of African, Brazilian, and popular music”
Modern English
English
agogo
“A metal bell percussion instrument played with a beater”
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