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zither

(zit̸h′ər, zit̸h′-)

noun

any of a family of musical instruments with strings stretched across a flat soundboard and plucked, bowed, struck with mallets, etc., as the dulcimer, koto, psaltery, etc.
a folk instrument of this type of Austria and S Germany

Origin: Ger < L cithara < Gr kithara, lute

See zither in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A musical instrument composed of a flat sound box with about 30 to 40 strings stretched over it and played horizontally with the fingertips, a plectrum, or a bow, or set into vibration by the wind, as in the Aeolian harp.

Origin:

Origin: German

Origin: , from Middle High German *zitter

Origin: , from Old High German zitera

Origin: , from Latin cithara, cithara

Origin: , from Greek kitharā

Related Forms: