lyre

[ lahyuhr ]

noun

1. a musical instrument of ancient Greece consisting of a soundbox made typically from a turtle shell, with two curved arms connected by a yoke from which strings are stretched to the body, used especially to accompany singing and recitation.
2. Lyre, Astronomy. the constellation Lyra.

lyre

/ laɪə /

noun

1. an ancient Greek stringed instrument consisting of a resonating tortoise shell to which a crossbar was attached by two projecting arms. It was plucked with a plectrum and used for accompanying songs
2. any ancient instrument of similar design
3. a medieval bowed instrument of the violin family

Word History and Origins

Origin of lyre¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English lire, from Latin lyra, from Greek lýra

Word History and Origins

Origin of lyre¹

C13: via Old French from Latin lyra, from Greek lura

Example Sentences

He appears before the Milan court with a silver lyre shaped like a horse’s skull.

From Literature

In fact, Nero often played a type of lyre called a cithara.

From Scientific American

Stories and works of art tell us that the African god Àyàn was a drummer; the Greek god Apollo played the lyre, a string instrument.

From Salon

But Orpheus, traveling with a group of Argonauts, helped them safely sail past the sirens by loudly playing his lyre and singing.

From New York Times

The hills of Olympus have never been more than a few strums of the lyre away from the stages of the theater, but lately the mist of mythology has seemed particularly thick.

From Washington Post