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castanets
(kæstənets)
plural noun [oft a pair of NOUN]
Castanets are a Spanish musical instrument consisting of two small round pieces of wood or plastic held together by a cord. You hold the castanets in your hand and knock the pieces together with your fingers.
castanets in British English
(ˌkæstəˈnɛts)
plural noun
curved pieces of hollow wood, usually held between the fingers and thumb and made to click together: used esp by Spanish dancers
Word origin
C17 castanet, from Spanish castañeta, diminutive of castaña chestnutcastanets in American English
(ˌkæstəˈnɛts)
plural noun
a pair of small, hollowed pieces of hard wood, ivory, etc., held in the hand by a connecting cord and clicked together with the fingers to beat time to music, esp. in Spanish dances
Word origin
Fr castagnette (sing.) < Sp castañeta, dim. of castaña < L castanea, chestnut: so named from the shapeImage ofcastanets
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