psaltery

American  

[sawl-tuh-ree] / ˈsɔl tə ri /

noun

plural

psalteries

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.

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psaltery British  

/ ˈsɔːltərɪ /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of psaltery

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

Example Sentences

But the demand for psaltery players and country fiddlers was not exactly booming.

From Time Magazine Archive

Along with lonely exponents of the virginal, the psaltery and the oboe d'amore, there are 166 violinists, 88 organists, 73 harpsichordists, 64 flautists and 56 cellists listed, each count a statistical gain over 1960.

From Time Magazine Archive

She strummed on a psaltery which looks like a large, shallow cigar-box with strings.

From Time Magazine Archive

The action is accompanied by music suggestive of everything from Gregorian chant to folk song, played on reproductions of such authentic medieval instruments as a psaltery, a rebec, a minstrel's harp.

From Time Magazine Archive

Your father’s mantle awaits you, that you may praise the Lord with psaltery and song.

From Jeremiah A Drama in Nine Scenes by Zweig, Stefan