Tombola
[tom-BOH-la]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Italian, 19th century
1.
A game in which people pick tickets out of a revolving drum and certain tickets win immediate prizes, typically played at a fete or fair.
Examples of Tombola in a sentence
"I hear Jonathan is running the tombola stall at the fair this year."
"The young child was an expert at tombola, always seeming to pick a ticket that won a prize."
About Tombola
This word will make you want to do a flip. "Tombola" comes from the Italian word "tombolare," which means "to turn a somersault." It's not just limited to a tombola; bingo callers have their own somersaulting cages.
Did you Know?
If you have participated in a charity raffle you might have played a tombola. Traditionally from Italy, tombola games have tickets that are attached to immediate prizes — provided you pick the right one, of course.
