gong

/gɑŋ/

/gɒŋ/

Other forms: gongs; gonging; gonged

A gong is a large percussion instrument that you play by hitting it with a mallet. Gongs make a resonant, echoing sound. In the classic game show "The Gong Show," amateur performers tried to impress judges who could end the act by banging a giant gong.

There are two types of gongs: one that makes a loud, crashing sound, and another that is actually tuned to a specific note. The crashing gong is sometimes also called a tam-tam. The oldest gongs were played in the early Han Dynasty in China, and gongs continue to be common in religious and secular Chinese music. Gong, named for the sound of a gong, comes from Malay.

Definitions of gong

1. noun

   a percussion instrument consisting of a metal plate that is struck with a softheaded drumstick
   synonyms: tam-tam

   type of:

   percussion instrument, percussive instrument

   a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking another
2. noun

   a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells that are struck with a hammer; used as an orchestral instrument
   synonyms: bell, chime

   types:

   carillon

   set of bells hung in a bell tower

   handbell

   a bell that is held in the hand

   type of:

   percussion instrument, percussive instrument

   a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking another
3. verb

   sound a gong
   type of:

   sound

   cause to sound