Where does “timpani” come from?
timpani (Italian) comes from Italian timpano, from Latin tympanum, from Ancient Greek τύμπανον, from Ancient Greek τύπτω, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tewp-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- — to push, to hit.
timpani (Italian): plural of timpano
Definitions
- plural of timpano
Ancestry of “timpani”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | timpano | eardrum, tympanum; drum; gable, tympanum |
| 2 | Latin | tympanum | drum, timbrel, tambour, tambourine |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | τύμπανον | drum, kettledrum; drumstick, staff, cudgel;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | τύπτω | to beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tewp- | to push, to stick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tew- | to push, to hit |