Origin: Latin suffix -sion
Percussion has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
the act of playing a percussion instrument
"The drummer's energetic percussion filled the entire concert hall."
the act of exploding a percussion cap
"The loud crack sounded like the sharp report of a cannon as the blacksmith struck the anvil to test his new hammer's percussion."
the section of a band or orchestra that plays percussion instruments
"The concert opened with an energetic solo from the percussion, who dazzled the audience with their rapid drumming."
tapping a part of the body for diagnostic purposes
"The doctor tapped on my abdomen to check for fluid buildup during her physical exam."
The collision of two bodies in order to produce a sound.
"The percussion of the hammer against the anvil created a sharp, ringing note."
In plain English: Percussion is an instrument that you hit, shake, or scrape to make sound.
"The percussion section of the band includes drums, cymbals, and xylophones."
Usage: Use percussion as an uncountable noun when referring generally to the musical category or the act of striking, rather than counting individual instruments like drums and cymbals. Avoid using it interchangeably with "rhythm," which describes the pattern of sounds instead of their method of production.
The word comes from the Latin percussio, meaning "a striking," and entered English through Middle French. It originally described the act of hitting something before taking on its modern musical sense.