drummer

American  

[druhm-er] / ˈdrʌm ər /

noun

1. a person who plays a drum.

2. a commercial traveler or traveling sales representative.

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idioms

1. march to a different drummer, to be motivated by a different set of values than the average person.

drummer British  

/ ˈdrʌmə /

noun

1. a person who plays a drum or set of drums

2. a salesman, esp a travelling salesman

3. slang the slowest shearer in a team

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drummer More Idioms  

1. see march to a different beat (drummer).

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Etymology

Origin of drummer

First recorded in 1565–75; drum ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A drummer is a musician who plays the drums. The drummer in a rock band might play a huge set of many different drums and other percussion instruments. A professional drummer could play in a marching band, a classical symphony, or a country and western group. A casual drummer can be someone who taps on the bongoes in a city park or takes drumming lessons and practices in her basement. The word drummer comes from drum, which has a Germanic, imitative root — it's a word that sounds like its meaning.

Example Sentences

They’re joined by drummer Daxx Nielsen, Rick Nielsen’s son who ably replaced the seemingly irreplaceable Bun E. Carlos in 2010.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

This elicits a slow drip of sarcasm from Catherine, who eventually gets Hal to confess that he’s the drummer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

An avid drummer herself, Takaichi played in a Deep Purple tribute band as a girl after becoming a fan in primary school.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

His father was a drummer, and when Gadson and his brother were teenagers they played in a doo-wop group called the Carpets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Reeves was a popular senior, widely admired as a talented drummer.

From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose