different between percussionist vs drummer

English

Etymology

percussion +? -ist

Noun

percussionist (plural percussionists)

1. A trained musician who plays percussion instruments, as opposed to a drummer who lacks formal training.

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?d??m?(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?d??m?/
• Rhymes: -?m?(?)

Etymology 1

drum (“instrument”) +? -er

Noun

drummer (plural drummers)

1. (music) One who plays the drums.
2. A drumstick (the lower part of a chicken or turkey leg).
3. Any of various fish of the family Kyphosidae which make a drumming sound.

Synonyms

• (musician who plays drums): drummist, drumslade (obsolete), percussionist
• (salesman): hawker, peddler

Derived terms

Translations

Usage notes

The term drummer is usually used for contemporary or popular musicians, whereas a classical musician is typically called a percussionist.

Etymology 2

drum (“house”) +? -er

Noun

drummer (plural drummers)

1. (Britain, slang) A housebreaker.
   • 1999, Theatre Record (volume 19, issues 17-20)

     Bennett's central figure, Ray, is first and foremost a serial "drummer" (housebreaker in crim-speak), and only secondly a human being, […]

2. (dated, slang) A travelling salesman.

   • You know what life on the road is like — these poor salesmen when they don't sell some big account they been counting on why they go into one terrible slump they set there in the hotel room brooding over it and after a while they go out and meet some other drummer down in the lobby and start chewing the rag about all their troubles and then they get feeling so sorry they go across the street and commence drinking beer and about three hours later they come back to the room and write the house one of these here letters how rotten the product is.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English drummer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?dr?.m?r/
• Hyphenation: drum?mer
• Rhymes: -?m?r

Noun

drummer m (plural drummers, diminutive drummertje n)

1. (music) A drummer, especially one who plays a drum kit.

Synonyms

• percussionist
• slagwerker
• trommelaar

Related terms

• drumstel

French

Alternative forms

• drummeur

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?œ.mœ?/

Noun

drummer m or f (plural drummers, feminine drummeuse)

1. drummer

Synonyms

• batteur

Further reading

• “drummer” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).