n.
Pronunciation: ˌ kas-t ə - ' net
Function: noun
Etymology: Spanish castañeta, from castaña chestnut, from Latin castanea ― more at CHESTNUT
Date: circa 1647
: a percussion instrument used especially by dancers that consists of two small shells of hard wood, ivory, or plastic usually fastened to the thumb and clicked together by the other fingers ― usually used in plural
castanet