tom-tom
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A street instrument, a kind of small drum beaten with the fingers, somewhat like the ancient tabor; a performer on this instrument. "Hark! ’tis the Indian drum."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “tom-tom” mean?
A street instrument, a kind of small drum beaten with the fingers, somewhat like the ancient tabor; a performer on this instrument. "Hark! ’tis the Indian drum."
Is “tom-tom” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.