1. percussion instrument; sound produced by the playing such an instrument. play a percussion instrument; beat rhythmically. drumdrum , n. [cf. d. trom, trommel, lg. trumme, g. trommel, dan. tromme, sw. trumma, ohg. trumba a trumpet, icel. pruma a clap of thunder, and as a verb, to thunder, dan. drum a booming sound, drumme to boom; prob. partly at least of imitative origin; perh. akin to e. trum, or trumpet.]