Cymbal
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Today, the term cymbal refers to a large round metal plate with a hollowed center, however in the Middle Ages the term was also used for small bells. Cymbals are a concave plate of mixed alloys that can be played a number of different ways including struck by a stick or mallet and played against another cymbal.
Etymology and Alternative Spellings
Fr: cymbales; Ger: Becken; It: cinelli, piatti; Lat: cymbala; Sp: cimbalos [1].
The English word ‘’cymbal’’ is derived from the Latin term, ‘’cymbalum’’ and the Greek ‘’kymbalon,’’ both of which refer to a bowl, or drinking cup [2].