Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

cymbălum, i, n. (gen. plur. cymbalum, Cat. 63, 21), = κύμβαλον, a cymbal.

  1. I. Prop., an instrument consisting of two hollow plates of brass, which emit a ringing sound when struck together. They were used in the festivals of Cybele and Bacchus, and on other festive occasions; also to hinder the flight of bees, etc. (usu. in plur.), Lucr. 2, 619; Cat. 63, 21; 63, 29; Ov. F. 4, 213; Verg. G. 4, 64; Liv. 39, 8; Cic. Pis. 9, 20 sq.; Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 7; Quint. 11, 3, 59; Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 13.
    1. B. Transf., in hydraulics, a sounding basin of similar form, a bell, Vitr. 10, 8, 5.
  2. II. Trop.: Apion Grammaticus, hic quem Tiberius Caesar cymbalum mundi vocabat, i. e. as making the world ring with his ostentatious disputations, Plin. H. N. praef. § 25; cf. Verg. Cat. 7, 5 Wagn.; App. Orth. § 8 p. 129 Mai.