psaltery

[ sawl-tuh-ree ]

noun

, plural psal·ter·ies.

1. an ancient musical instrument consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings which are plucked with the fingers or with a plectrum.
2. (initial capital letter) the Psalter.

psaltery

/ ˈsɔːltərɪ /

noun

1. music an ancient stringed instrument similar to the lyre, but having a trapezoidal sounding board over which the strings are stretched

Word History and Origins

Origin of psaltery¹

1300–50; Middle English sautrie < Middle French sauter(i)e < Late Latin psaltērium; Psalter

Word History and Origins

Origin of psaltery¹

Old English: see Psalter

Example Sentences

The mask came off, replaced by paper-lantern headdress and then a clown’s nose as Leng Tan let loose a toy-a-rama of kiddie pianos, kiddie psaltery, kiddie pipe organ, bird whistle and other such noise makers .

From Los Angeles Times

Holding the drone, however, turned out to be unusually boring to perform, not to mention quite tiring, so more often than not it was played on an instrument instead: an organ, perhaps, or now almost forgotten instruments such as the crwth, the psaltery, the hurdy-gurdy or the symphony.

From Literature

Then, however, it gets weird, courtesy of the doppelgänger: “Come now therefore, and with thee I establish my covenant ... if thou makest of me a God, and worship me, and send for the psaltery and the taboret to prophesy of my intentions, and make war, then ye shall be consumed.”

From Seattle Times

Then, however, it gets weird, courtesy of the doppelgänger: “Come now therefore, and with thee I establish my covenant ... if thou makest of me a God, and worship me, and send for the psaltery and the taboret to prophesy of my intentions, and make war, then ye shall be consumed.”

From Seattle Times

Up in the Minstrels' Gallery,the King's Musicians tuned the Luteto the Flute to the Pipeto the Shawm, the Gemshorn, the Harp,to the Dulcimer to the Psaltery;and the Drum was a muffl ed heartlike an imminent birthand the Tambourine was percussion as mirth.

From The Guardian