castanet
UK[ˌkæstəˈnet]US[ˈkæstəˌnet]
n
a small, hollowed piece of hard wood, plastic, or bone, held in the hand and clicked together in pairs to make a rhythmic sound, especially used by spanish dancers.
Etymology
the word 'castanet' entered english in the early 17th century from the spanish 'castañeta', which is a diminutive of 'castaña', meaning 'chestnut'. this name is a direct reference to the material and shape of the original instruments, which were traditionally carved from chestnut wood. the spanish term itself derives from the latin 'castanea', meaning 'chestnut tree', which was borrowed from the ancient greek 'κάστανον' (kastanon). the etymological journey, from a tree name to a musical instrument, is a classic example of metonymy, where the material used for an object comes to represent the object itself.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single, unsegmentable unit into english.
Examples
the flamenco dancer's performance was accentuated by the rapid, staccato clicks of her castanets.
he practiced for hours to master the complex rhythm patterns played on the castanets.
the museum displayed an antique pair of ivory castanets from the 18th century.