Timbrel
/ˈtɪm.brəl/noun
A small hand drum or tambourine, especially in biblical or poetic contexts.
Did you know?Timbrel entered English through biblical and poetic usage, and its deeper ancestry likely travels through Middle Eastern and Mediterranean word history tied to frame drums used in ceremony and dance.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Heb
tōp̄
“A hand drum or tambourine used in celebration and ritual”
Ancient Near Eastern / Greek
Unknown
tympanon
“A frame drum or tambourine; also a drumlike instrument in Greek usage”
Late Latin
Lat
tympanum
“A drum, tambourine, or drum-shaped object”
Middle English
Eng
timbrel
“A small drum or tambourine, especially in biblical translation”
Modern English
Eng
timbrel
“A small hand drum or tambourine”
Explore more surprising origins