A small, concave wooden or plastic percussion instrument held in the palm and clicked rhythmically together to create a sharp, snapping sound.
From Spanish 'castañeta,' derived from 'castaña' (chestnut), because the instruments were originally made from chestnut wood and resembled the shape of chestnuts.
Castanets preserve their Spanish chestnut heritage in their name even though modern ones are often made of plastic—it's a perfect example of how trade words travel, bringing instrument design from Spain to concert halls worldwide.
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