zither
English
/ˈzɪ.ðə/, /ˈzɪ.ðɚ/
noun
Definitions
- (music) A musical instrument consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings placed on a horizontal surface, played with a plectrum or fingertips.
- (music) Related or similar instruments in other cultures, such as the Chinese guqin or Norwegian harpeleik; especially any chordophone without a neck, and with strings that pass over the body.
Etymology
Borrowed from German Zither (zither) derived from Old High German zithara derived from Latin cithara (cithara, lyre, cithern, guitar, lute) derived from Ancient Greek κιθάρα (kind of harp, lyre, a kind of harp, kithara).
Origin
Ancient Greek
κιθάρα
Gloss
kind of harp, lyre, a kind of harp, kithara
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- cithara English
- cither English
- citole English
- zitherist English
- zitherlike English
- kitara Finnish
- citera Latin
- cithara Latin
- citharicen Latin
- citharoedus Latin
- cithera Latin
- Zither German
- Zitherspiel German
- Zitherspieler German
- cithare French
- cítara Spanish, Castilian
- guitarra Spanish, Castilian
- κιθάρα Ancient Greek
- κῐθᾰ́ρᾱ Ancient Greek
- siter Norwegian Bokmål
- cítara Portuguese
- siter Norwegian Nynorsk
- citer Danish
- قيثارة Arabic
- قِيثَارَة Arabic
- قِيثَارَة Arabic
- guiterne Old French
- zithara Old High German
- կիթառ Old Armenian
- zitterlein Middle High German
- גיטרה Hebrew (modern)
- cithara Old Dutch
- 齊特琴 Chinese
- קיתרא Aramaic