Cittern

/ˈsɪtən/

Synonyms for "cittern" (4 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (1)

Noun(1 words)
cither

Strong matches (1)

Noun(1 words)
cithern

Related words (2)

Noun(2 words)
citolegittern

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: cither, cithern, citole, gittern.
  • Sentence evidence is available for cittern, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "cittern".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "cittern"

Keep "cittern" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "cittern" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "cittern", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "cittern" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

1 relation types

More general

1 entries

Sample sentences

4 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

This discourse took us much time, till it was time to go to bed; but we being merry, we bade my Lady goodnight, and intended to have gone to the Post-house to drink, and hear a pretty girl play of the cittern (and indeed we should have lain there, but by a mistake we did not), but it was late, and we could not hear her, and the guard came to examine what we were; so we returned to our Inn and to bed, the page and I in one bed, and the two captains in another, all in one chamber, where we had very good mirth with our most abominable lodging.

Source: wiktionary

1911, Cittern, article in Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, The cittern consisted of a pear-shaped body similar to that of the lute but with a flat back and sound-board joined by ribs. The neck was provided with a fretted fingerboard; the head was curved and surmounted by a grotesque head of a woman or of an animal.

Source: wiktionary

The advent of the Spanish guitar in England led to the wane in the popularity of the cittern, also known at that time in contradistinction as the English or wire-strung guitar, although the two instruments differed in many particulars.

Source: wiktionary

Antwerp was world-famous for its harpsichords, but it was also a centre, in the 16th century, where citterns, lutes, viols and later violins were constructed with skill.

Source: wiktionary

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "cittern"?

Closest matches include cither, cithern, citole, gittern.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "cittern"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "cittern"

Meaning

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