Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps (i) shortened < drumslade n. (compare the α. forms at that entry, which appear to show gradual phonetic reduction, perhaps as a result of auditory misapprehension of a foreign-language compound), or perhaps (ii) < one or more similar names of the percussion instrument in continental Germanic languages: Old Frisian trom , tromme drum (only in the compounds tromslēker , trommeslēker drumsler n.; West Frisian tromme ), Dutch trom , (now regional: Eastern) tromme drum (Middle Dutch tromme (1497); also †trumme (1527 in an apparently isolated attestation in a compound)), Middle Low German trumme drum, German (now regional) Tromme , Trumme , (now regional: Central and Southern) Dromme , Drumme drum (Middle High German trumbe , trumme , (in late sources) drumbe , drumme ), all probably ultimately of imitative origin. Compare also ( < Middle Low German) Old Danish trombe (Danish tromme , †trumme ), Old Swedish trumba tube, cylinder (Swedish trumma also drum). Compare a number of Germanic nouns of similar form, all in sense ‘trumpet, horn’, which may suggest a semantic development from a hypothetical original sense ‘loud-sounding musical instrument’: Old Dutch drumba , trumba (Middle Dutch trompe does not continue this, but was reborrowed < Old French trompe trump n.¹), Old High German trumba , trumpa (Middle High German trumbe , trumme , (in late sources) drumbe , drumme ), Old Icelandic tromba . Compare also French trompe and the other Romance words for ‘trumpet’ cited at trump n.¹ which may derive < an unattested West Germanic (probably Frankish) noun with the sense ‘trumpet’ or ‘horn’ (so Französisches etymol. Wörterbuch at *trumba), or may show independent imitative formations in Romance (so J. Corominas Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico (ed. 2, 1981) at tromba).Ulterior etymology. The fact that the English word always shows initial d , whereas most of the corresponding forms in the cognate Germanic languages have initial t , has often been considered to pose phonological problems. However, these might not pose a serious obstacle to borrowing from another Germanic language. The German forms with initial d (which reflect voicing as a feature of many Central and Southern German dialects) appear to lack direct historical contact with the English word; however, a form with initial d is attested very early in Old Dutch drumba (where it is the expected counterpart of Old High German trumba ), and such early evidence could conceivably be taken as implying originally wider currency of such forms in languages where they are not attested in written records. Compare the following quot., which shows a vernacular form with initial d in an Anglo-Norman linguistic context; it is unclear whether this is to be taken as showing an earlier instance of the English word, or an (otherwise unattested) Anglo-Norman word:1430 in P. Studer Port Bks. Southampton (1913) 96 Issant William Hardeman, issant per Petre Botsak: xxij peres de drommes, valor ij noble—cust. ij d.; iiij dozeine de pels de conyn—cust. ob. The usual word for the percussion instrument in modern German is Trommel (Middle High German trumbel , trumel ), a suffixal derivative formed with the cognate of -le suffix 1. Its formal parallel Dutch trommel (1497 in Middle Dutch) may either show an independent formation < tromme + -el -le suffix 1, or a loan < German, or a deverbal derivative < trommelen to play the drum (see drumble v.²). Specific senses. In sense 5 after classical Latin tympanum tympanum n. in its post-classical Latin anatomical sense (compare tympanum n. 2a). In sense 7a after French tambour (1698, in the passage translated in quot. 1702, or earlier in this sense); compare drum sieve n. In sense 8a probably after the corresponding specific use of French tambour drum (see tambour n.); compare tambour n. 5. In sense 11(a) after French timbale timbale n. (1740 in this sense: R. A. F. de Réaumur Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des insectes V. 166).

Etymology: < Irish druim and Scottish Gaelic druim back (of a person or animal), (in the landscape) ridge (Early Irish druimm), of unknown origin.Earlier currency may be implied in Older Scots drumeheid highest part of a ridge (1602, with the second element head n.¹), although it is uncertain whether the first element is to be interpreted as showing the Scottish Gaelic word (or place-name element) or an early borrowing into Scots. The form drym probably shows an attempt to reflect Irish pronunciation.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; the two senses may both show specific sense developments of drum n.¹In sense 1 perhaps with allusion to the noise typical at such gatherings; compare slightly later drum n.¹ 3, drum v.¹, and with similar semantic development also racket n.² and bash n.¹ 2. Sense 2 may show development from sense 1 (i.e. from a social gathering to a venue for such gatherings), although given that the two senses occur in different social contexts, it may rather represent an independent development from drum n.¹, either with similar allusion to noise or in a more concrete sense: compare extended uses of drum n.¹ for containers of various kinds, especially with application of the present word to a prison cell (with similar semantic development compare e.g. can n.¹ 6). It has alternatively been suggested that use in the sense ‘home’ may show an extended use of drum n.⁴ or its etymon Romani drom path, way, on the grounds that the road was considered home among travelling communities; however, a sense ‘home’ appears not to be attested for the Romani word, and evidence to support such semantic development within English is lacking.

Etymology: < Romani drom path, way ( < ancient Greek δρόμος : see -drome comb. form). Compare earlier rum pad n.

Etymology: < drum n.¹ Compare Dutch trommen (1551), Middle High German trummen (in late sources; German (now regional: Alsace, Swabia) trommen , trummen ), Swedish trumma (1536). Compare the Germanic verbs cited at drumble v.², and also earlier drumming n.