rá-tim-bum

Portuguese

Etymology

Uncertain. It may have originated among alumni of the Law School of the University of São Paulo as a corruption of "rajá Timbum", referring to a rajah who purportedly visited the institution, or from an onomatopoeic imitation of the sound produced by a fanfare, such as the snare drum ("rá"), the cymbals ("tim") and the bass drum ("bum").

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌʁaˌt͡ʃĩˈbũ/ [ˌhaˌt͡ʃĩˈbũ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌʁaˌt͡ʃĩˈbũ/ [ˌhaˌt͡ʃĩˈbũ]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˌʁaˌt͡ʃĩˈbũ/ [ˌχaˌt͡ʃĩˈbũ]

Interjection

rá-tim-bum!

1. (Brazil) Sung or shouted at the conclusion of a happy birthday song or similar celebration.