cittern

[ sit-ern ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an old musical instrument related to the guitar, having a flat, pear-shaped soundbox and wire strings.

cittern

/ ˈsɪtɜːn /

See gittern
a medieval stringed instrument resembling a lute but having wire strings and a flat back Compare gittern

Origin of cittern¹

1550–60; blend of Latin cithara (< Greek kithára lyre, kithara ( def ) ) and gittern

Origin of cittern¹

C16: perhaps a blend of cither + gittern

The instrument here introduced is the cittern, played with or without a plectrum or quill.

The instrument, on which he doubtless accompanied his mournful love-songs, is a form of cittern.

Constantijn Huygens declares that he learnt to play the barbiton in a few weeks, but took two years to learn the cittern.

Robinson gives instructions for learning to play the cittern and for reading the tablature.

The last development of the cittern before its disappearance was the addition of keys.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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