Tambor
/ˈtæm.bɔːr/noun
A drum, especially a large or traditional one in Spanish and Portuguese.
Did you know?Spanish and Portuguese *tambor* comes through Arabic *ṭanbūr*/*tunbūr* forms ultimately tied to a name for a long-necked lute, showing how instrument names can migrate and mutate across cultures.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/Medieval Arabic
Arabic
طنبور (ṭunbūr / tanbūr)
“A stringed instrument, especially a long-necked lute.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
تنبور (tanbūr)
“A lute or similar plucked instrument.”
Medieval Spanish
Arabic/Spanish
tambor
“A drum; the word was borrowed into Iberian Romance with a shift in meaning.”
Medieval Portuguese
Portuguese
tambor
“A drum.”
Modern English
English
tambour
“A drum or drum-shaped object; also a term in architecture and sewing for a rounded form.”
Explore more surprising origins