gamelan

G2A1M3E1L1A1N1
/ˈɡæməˌlæn//ˈɡæməˌlɑn/

noun

A genre of music of Indonesian origin typically featuring metallophones, xylophones, drums, gongs and a bamboo flute (called a suling).

OriginJavanese gamelan ← Old Javanese gamĕlan →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

noungamelan (countable and uncountable, plural gamelans)

plural gamelans

  1. countableuncountableentertainmentA genre of music of Indonesian origin typically featuring metallophones, xylophones, drums, gongs and a bamboo flute (called a suling).
  2. countableuncountableAn ensemble performing this style of music.

Origin

  1. Old Javanesegamĕlan
  2. Javanesegamelan
  3. Englishgamelan

Borrowed from Javanese gamelan, from Old Javanese gamĕlan.

More words from Javanese, Old Javanese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic غَامِيلَان
  • غَامِيلَان (ḡāmīlān)genre of music
Catalan gamelan
  • gamelangenre of music
Chinese Mandarin 甘美蘭 /甘美兰
  • 甘美蘭 /甘美兰 (gānměilán)genre of music
Hindi गामलान
  • गामलान (gāmlān)genre of music
Indonesian gamelan, gamelan
  • gamelangenre of music
  • gamelanensemble
Irish gamalan, gamalan
  • gamalangenre of music
  • gamalanensemble
Japanese ガムラン
  • ガムラン (gamuran)genre of music
Malay ݢميلن, gamelan
  • ݢميلنgenre of music
  • gamelangenre of music
Polish gamelan, gamelan
  • gamelangenre of music
  • gamelanensemble
Russian гамела́н
  • гамела́н (gamelán)genre of music
Spanish gamelán
  • gamelángenre of music
Thai กาเมลัน
  • กาเมลัน (gaa-mee-lan)genre of music
Cite this entry
APA

gamelan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gamelan

MLA

“gamelan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gamelan. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gamelan,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gamelan.

Source: gamelan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.