psaltery

[ sawl-tuh-ree ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural psal·ter·ies.

an ancient musical instrument consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings which are plucked with the fingers or with a plectrum.
(initial capital letter) the Psalter.

psaltery

/ ˈsɔːltərɪ /

music an ancient stringed instrument similar to the lyre, but having a trapezoidal sounding board over which the strings are stretched

1300–50; Middle English sautrie < Middle French sauter(i)e < Late Latin psaltērium; Psalter

Old English: see Psalter

The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above them both.

Psal′tery, a stringed instrument used by the Jews: psalter; Psal′tress, a woman who plays upon the psaltery.

It was in a Psaltery on which a hundred years before some Flemish monk had lavished his gold and vermilion.

A psaltery, made by Thomas Perry, in Dublin, second half of eighteenth century.

With his glance upon the psaltery stick, a dim notion of accounting filtered curiously into his mind and became obsessional.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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