Ket"tle*drum` (-drŭm`), n. 1. (Mus.) A drum made of thin copper in the form of a hemispherical kettle, with parchment stretched over the mouth of it.

&fist; Kettledrums, in pairs, were formerly used in martial music for cavalry, but are now chiefly confined to orchestras, where they are called tympani.

2. An informal social party at which a light collation is offered, held in the afternoon or early evening. Cf. Drum, n., 4 and 5.

• a large hemispherical brass percussion instrument (one of the timpani) with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting its tension