Dulcimer

/ˈdʌl.sɪ.mɚ/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A stringed instrument, with strings stretched across a sounding board, usually trapezoidal, played by plucking on the strings (traditionally with a quill) or by tapping on them (in the case of the hammer dulcimers).

    "A damsel with a dulcimer / In a vision once I saw: / It was an Abyssinian maid / And on her dulcimer she played, / Singing of Mount Abora."

  2. 2
    a trapezoidal zither whose metal strings are struck with light hammers wordnet
  3. 3
    a stringed instrument used in American folk music; an elliptical body and a fretted fingerboard and three strings wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
appalachian dulcimerhammer dulcimerhammered dulcimerharpmountain dulcimerpsaltery

Example

More examples

"I can't play the dulcimer as well as I used to."

Etymology

From Old French doulcemelle, probably from Latin dulce melos (“sweet song”), from Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos, “melody, song”).

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