Etymology Map
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Tom-tom

2 stages from Hindi to English.

Today it means A small drum, typically played with the hands, used in various musical traditions.

Where does the word "tom-tom" come from? It comes from Hindi tam-tam, adopted directly into English (1690s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
tam-tam
Hindi · medieval
"a hand drum, named for its sound"
an echoic word imitating the sound of a beaten drum
2
Stage 2 of 2
tom-tom
English · 1690s
"a small drum played with the hands"
British traders in India borrowed the drum's imitative name
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