Meanings
plural percussions
- countableThe sound so produced.
- countableThe detonation of a percussion cap in a firearm.
- countableuncountableentertainmentThe section of an orchestra or band containing percussion instruments; such instruments considered as a group; in bands, may be separate from drum kits.
- countableuncountableengineeringThe repeated striking of an object to break or shape it, as in percussion drilling.
1 more example
Moreover, a perfect Medal has its Profile and out-ſtroaks ſharp (Nummus aſper) and by no means rugged; the Figures clean and well poliſh'd; the Contours neatly trimm'd, and exactly round and carefully preſerv'd; that the Extancy and Relievos correſpond with the Ingraving, and have not ſuffer'd in Percuſſion; in all which, there is a certain Spirit of Antiquity and Excellency to be diſcern'd in Antient Medals almoſt inimitable.
1697, J[ohn] Evelyn, “Instructions How to Collect, and Procure such Medals as are Antique, and Rare; and to Distinguish the True from the False, for the Prevention of Frauds and Impostures”, in Numismata. A Discourse of Medals, Antient and Modern. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke […], →OCLC, page 201 - countableuncountablepalmistryThe outer side of the hand.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe section of a band or orchestra that plays percussion instruments
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinpercussiō“striking”
- Old Frenchpercussion
- Middle Englishpercussioun
- Englishpercussion
From Middle English percussioun, from Middle French, Old French percussion, from Latin percussiō (“striking”), from percutiō (“to strike”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic آلَة إِيقَاعِيَّة
- آلَة إِيقَاعِيَّة (ʔāla ʔīqāʕiyya)music: section of percussion instruments
Bulgarian стълкновение, причукване
- стълкновение (stălknovenie)collision producing a sound
- причукване (pričukvane)medicine: tapping of the body
- ударни инструменти (udarni instrumenti)music: section of percussion instruments
Catalan percussió, percussió
- percussiócollision producing a sound
- percussiósound produced by collision
- percussiómedicine: tapping of the body
- percussiómusic: section of percussion instruments
Chinese Mandarin 擊發 /击发, 擊發的聲音 /击发的声音
- 擊發 /击发 (jīfā)collision producing a sound
- 擊發的聲音 /击发的声音 (jīfā de shēngyīn)sound produced by collision
- 叩診 /叩诊 (kòuzhěn)medicine: tapping of the body
- 打診 /打诊 (dǎzhěn)medicine: tapping of the body
- 打擊樂器 /打击乐器 (dǎjī yuèqì)music: section of percussion instruments
Czech bicí
- bicímusic: section of percussion instruments
Danish perkussion, slagtøj
- perkussionmedicine: tapping of the body
- slagtøjmusic: section of percussion instruments
- percussionmusic: section of percussion instruments
Finnish lyönti, lyöntiääni
- lyönticollision producing a sound
- lyöntiäänisound produced by collision
- koputtelumedicine: tapping of the body
- lyömäsoittimetmusic: section of percussion instruments
- lyömäsoitinryhmämusic: section of percussion instruments
- tärytysengineering: repeated striking
French percussion
- percussionmusic: section of percussion instruments
German Perkussion
- Perkussionmusic: section of percussion instruments
Hindi वादन
- वादन (vādan)music: section of percussion instruments
Hungarian összeütés, ütés
- összeütéscollision producing a sound
- ütéscollision producing a sound
- ütközéscollision producing a sound
- összeütközéscollision producing a sound
- ütődéscollision producing a sound
- összeütődéscollision producing a sound
- lökéscollision producing a sound
- rázkódáscollision producing a sound
- csattanássound produced by collision
- gyutacs felrobbanásadetonation of percussion cap
- kopogtatásmedicine: tapping of the body
- ütőhangszermusic: section of percussion instruments
Icelandic samsláttur, sláttur
- samslátturcollision producing a sound
- slátturcollision producing a sound
- barningurcollision producing a sound
- slagverkmusic: section of percussion instruments
Indonesian perkusi, ketukan
- perkusimedicine: tapping of the body
- ketukanmedicine: tapping of the body
Irish cnaguirlis
- cnaguirlismusic: section of percussion instruments
Japanese 打診
- 打診 (dashin)medicine: tapping of the body
Māori papā
- papāmusic: section of percussion instruments
Norwegian Bokmål perkusjon, slagverk
- perkusjonmedicine: tapping of the body
- slagverkmusic: section of percussion instruments
- perkusjonmusic: section of percussion instruments
Polish perkusja
- perkusjamusic: section of percussion instruments
Portuguese percussão
- percussãomusic: section of percussion instruments
Russian столкнове́ние, уда́р
- столкнове́ние (stolknovénije)collision producing a sound
- уда́р (udár)collision producing a sound
- высту́кивание (vystúkivanije)medicine: tapping of the body
- перку́ссия (perkússija)medicine: tapping of the body
- уда́рный инструме́нт (udárnyj instrumént)music: section of percussion instruments
Spanish percusión
- percusiónmusic: section of percussion instruments
Tagalog pagtambulin
- pagtambulinmusic: section of percussion instruments
Turkish perküsyon
- perküsyonmedicine: tapping of the body
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with percussion
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
percussion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/percussion
“percussion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/percussion. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “percussion,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/percussion.
Source: percussion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.