timpani
4 synonyms for timpani, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A set of large, tuned drums used in an orchestra.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian timpani, plural of timpano (“drum”), from Latin tympanum (“drum”), from Ancient Greek τύμπανον (túmpanon), from τύπτω (túptō, “to strike, to hit”). Doublet of tympanum, timbre, timbal, and tymbal.
Full origin of timpani →