tam-tam

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tam-tam (plural tam-tams)

1. (music) A flat gong (without knob) that is struck with a felt-covered hammer.

Imitative.

tam-tam (third-person singular simple present tam-tams, present participle tam-tamming, simple past and past participle tam-tammed)

1. (intransitive, dated) To beat on a drum.

• tom-tom

• tamtam (post-1990 spelling)

Onomatopoetic. Compare English tom-tom

• IPA^(key): /tam.tam/

• Audio:

  (file)

tam-tam m (plural tam-tams or tams-tams)

1. tam-tam

• “tam-tam”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• IPA^(key): /tamˈtam/
• Rhymes: -am

tam-tam m (invariable)

1. (music) tam-tam
2. (music) tom-tom
3. bush telegraph, grapevine (unofficial news channel)

Borrowed from French tam-tam.

• IPA^(key): /tam.ˈtam/
• Rhymes: -am
• Hyphenation: tam‧tam

tam-tam n (plural tam-tamuri)

1. tam-tam
2. big noise