Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A musical instrument having metal strings which are played with a plectrum.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun See
cittern .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Alternative form of
cittern .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a 16th century musical instrument resembling a guitar with a pear-shaped soundbox and wire strings
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word cithern.
Examples
-
The breeze that stirred the tapestries on the wall brought faint noises from the streets of Peshkhauri - occasional snatches of wailing song, or the thrum of a cithern.
The Conan Chronicles Howard, Robert E. 1989
-
She was taught music, and played the lute, harpsichord, and cithern, as well as having a sweet singing voice.
Mary Queen Of Scotland And The Isles George, Margaret 1987
-
She was taught music, and played the lute, harpsichord, and cithern, as well as having a sweet singing voice.
Mary Queen Of Scotland And The Isles George, Margaret 1987
-
Hidden musicians began to play on flute and cithern as Conan entered, and five women, so heavily veiled and swathed in silk that he could see nothing but their dark eyes, began to dance.
Conan The Victorious Jordan, Robert 1984
-
Many of the merchants 'tents were darkened now, and silence lay even on the picket lines of animals behind each, though the thin sounds of zither and flute, cithern and tambor, drifted from the nobles' portion of the camp.
Conan The Victorious Jordan, Robert 1984
-
Chapter X The music of cithern, flute and tambour sounded softly in the alabaster-columned chamber, the musicians hidden behind a lacy screen carved of ivory.
Conan The Victorious Jordan, Robert 1984
-
Sounds floated from other parts of the palace-an indistinguishable murmur of voices, the thrum of a cithern.
Conan The Victorious Jordan, Robert 1984
-
The breeze that stirred the tapestries on the wall brought faint noises from the streets of Peshkhauri -- occasional snatches of wailing song, or the thrum of a cithern.
Conan the Adventurer Howard, Robert E. 1966
-
And there were wont to feed with them, through delight of his lays, both the spotted lynxes, and the bloody troop of lions [30] came having left the forest of Othrys; disported too around thy cithern, Phœbus, the dappled fawn, advancing with light pastern beyond the lofty-feathered pines, joying in the gladdening strain.
The Tragedies of Euripides, Volume I. 480? BC-406 BC Euripides
-
J.F. C. Hecker, M.D., in his "Epidemics of the Middle Ages," stated that the music of the flute, cithern or other instrument alone afforded relief to patients affected with this disease.
Primitive Psycho-Therapy and Quackery Robert Means Lawrence
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.