tambour

1 of 2

noun

tam·​bour ˈtam-ˌbu̇r How to pronounce tambour (audio)
tam-ˈbu̇r
1
: drum entry 1 sense 1
2
a
: an embroidery frame
especially : a set of two interlocking hoops between which cloth is stretched before stitching
b
: embroidery made on a tambour frame
3
: a shallow metallic cup or drum with a thin elastic membrane supporting a writing lever used to transmit and register slight motions (such as arterial pulsations)
4
: a rolling top or front (as of a rolltop desk) of narrow strips of wood glued on canvas

tambour

2 of 2

verb

tamboured; tambouring; tambours

transitive verb

: to embroider (cloth) with tambour

intransitive verb

: to work at a tambour frame
tambourer noun

Examples of tambour in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Just before the final match starts, a tambour player beats out rhythms. — Catherine Porter James Hill, New York Times, 25 July 2023 Made with American poplar solid wood, maple veneers and butcher-block solid tambour doors. — Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 The sides of the bar are traced with light blue tambour wood panels; handkerchief-like light fixtures add whimsy; and stunning shelves with rounded edges take inspiration from midcentury modern design. — Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Jan. 2024 Since late 2020, the 23-year-old designer has been creating videos about her tambour embroidery work, a technique that affixes beads one at a time with a hooked needle. — Sakeina Syed, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2023 The Original Appliance Garages Originally designed as discreet countertop cabinets with roll-top tambour doors, appliance garages first began popping up in the early 1970s. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, drum, from Arabic ṭanbūr, modification of Persian tabīr

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1774, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tambour was in the 15th century

Rhymes for tambour

See All Rhymes for tambour

Browse Nearby Words

tamborito
tambour
tamboura
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tambour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tambour. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

tambour

noun
tam·​bour ˈtam-ˌbu̇(ə)r, tam-ˈ How to pronounce tambour (audio)
: a shallow metallic cup or drum with a thin elastic membrane supporting a writing lever used to transmit and register slight motions (as arterial pulsations and peristaltic contractions)

More from Merriam-Webster on tambour

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tambour

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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