- cittern
- \ \ see GUITAR
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
cittern
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Cittern — Cit tern, n. [L.cithara, Gr. kiqa ra. Cf. {Cithara}, {Gittern}.] (Mus.) An instrument shaped like a lute, but strung with wire and played with a quill or plectrum. [Written also {cithern}.] Shak. [1913 Webster] Note: Not to be confounded with… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
cittern — [sit′ərn] n. [< CITHER, prob. infl. by ME giterne: see GITTERN] a stringed instrument of the guitar family, pear shaped with a flat back, popular from the 15th to the 18th cent … English World dictionary
Cittern — Woman with cittern , canvas painted 1677 by Pieter van Slingeland (ca. 1630 1691). The cittern or cither (Fr. cistre, It. cetra, Ger. Cister, Sp. cistro, cedra, cítola) is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate… … Wikipedia
cittern — /sit euhrn/, n. an old musical instrument related to the guitar, having a flat, pear shaped soundbox and wire strings. [1550 60; b. CITHER and GITTERN] * * * ▪ musical instrument plucked stringed musical instrument that was popular in the… … Universalium
cittern — n. hist. a wire stringed lutelike instrument usu. played with a plectrum. Etymology: L cithara, Gk kithara a kind of harp, assim. to GITTERN * * * cittern, cittren, on see cithern … Useful english dictionary
Cittern-head — Cit tern head , n. Blockhead; dunce; so called because the handle of a cittern usually ended with a carved head. Marsion [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
cittern — also cithern or cithren noun Etymology: blend of cither and gittern Date: 1566 a Renaissance stringed instrument like a guitar with a flat pear shaped body … New Collegiate Dictionary
Cittern — Cistre Femme avec cistre (1677) de Pieter van Slingeland (1630 1691) … Wikipédia en Français
cittern — noun A stringed instrument similar to a mandolin … Wiktionary
Cittern — Stringed instrument somewhat like a *lute, played with plectrum. The gittern was a similar instrument but of later date … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
cittern — see GUITAR … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
