taiko UK /ˈtaɪkəʊ/US /ˈtaɪkoʊ/ noun3 •A traditional drum, beaten by yobidashi to announce the beginning of a tournament, and at the end of each day •A Japanese drum or a performance of several drummers in an ensemble (also called kumi-daiko). •The Chatham Island taiko (Pterodroma magentae).The taiko, a gadfly petrel from the Chatham Islands near to New Zealand, was well known to islanders during the nineteenth century, being used by them as a food resource. — 2000 formstaikos