Cittern

Cittern
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 zither. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • 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

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