tambourine

/ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn/

//ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"tambourine" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tambourine” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,115. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,115
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A percussion instrument consisting of a small, usually wooden, hoop closed on one side with a drum frame and featuring jingling metal disks on the tread; it is most often held in the hand and shake...

Key facts for tambourine
PropertyValue
Headwordtambourine
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn/
Letters10
Frequency rank#45,115
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tambourine” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). tambourine lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around tambourine (IPA /ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,115 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for tambourine, with forms such as "atmbourine", "tabmourine", and "tambbourine". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French tambourin (“little drum”), from French tambour (“drum”). Ultimately from Arabic طُنْبُور (ṭunbūr); see it and Persian تنبور for more. The correct English form is tambourine, spelled T-A-M-B-O-U-R-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A percussion instrument consisting of a small, usually wooden, hoop closed on one side with a drum frame and featuring jingling metal disks on the tread; it is most often held in the hand and shaken rhythmically; by extension, any frame drum.
  2. 2
    A tambourine dove (Turtur tympanistria).
  3. 3
    A kind of Provençal dance.
  4. 4
    The music for this dance.

Etymology

From French tambourin (“little drum”), from French tambour (“drum”). Ultimately from Arabic طُنْبُور (ṭunbūr); see it and Persian تنبور for more.

This word in other languages

pandereta(Español)tambour de basque(Français)Tamburin(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • atmbourine
  • tabmourine
  • tambbourine
  • tamboruine
  • tambouirne
  • tambourien
  • tambourinne
  • tambournie
  • tambourrine
  • tambuorine
  • tammbourine
  • tamoburine
  • tmabourine
  • ttambourine

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tambourine - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

atmbourine2tabmourine2tambbourine1tamboruine2tambouirne2tambourien2tambourinne1tambournie2
Edit distance from "tambourine"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tambourine"?
"tambourine" is spelled T-A-M-B-O-U-R-I-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn/.
What does "tambourine" mean?
As a noun, "tambourine" means: A percussion instrument consisting of a small, usually wooden, hoop closed on one side with a drum frame and featuring jingling metal disks on the tread; it is most often held in the hand and shake...
What are common misspellings of "tambourine"?
Common misspellings include "atmbourine", "tabmourine", "tambbourine", "tamboruine", "tambouirne". The correct spelling is "tambourine".
How do you pronounce "tambourine"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tambourine" is /ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "tambourine"?
From French tambourin (“little drum”), from French tambour (“drum”). Ultimately from Arabic طُنْبُور (ṭunbūr); see it and Persian تنبور for more. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “tambourine”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-M-B-O-U-R-I-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌtæm.bəˈɹiːn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list