cittern

[ sit-ern ]

noun

1. an old musical instrument related to the guitar, having a flat, pear-shaped soundbox and wire strings.

cittern

/ ˈsɪtɜːn /

noun

1. a medieval stringed instrument resembling a lute but having wire strings and a flat back Compare gittern

Word History and Origins

Origin of cittern¹

1550–60; blend of Latin cithara (< Greek kithára lyre, kithara ( def ) ) and gittern

Word History and Origins

Origin of cittern¹

C16: perhaps a blend of cither + gittern

Example Sentences

The cittern with its nine strings, bridge, and pegbox ‘‘brings to mind the theory of music’s harmonic proportions.

From Scientific American

It did indeed turn into the trusty guitar in due course, but not before it had cross-fertilised with another medieval instrument, the citole, whose chief successor in England was unhelpfully called the cittern.

From Literature

Danielle Svonavec lends her soprano to the consort’s lute, cittern, viols and flute as they play songs from the plays of William Shakespeare.

From Seattle Times

Find your Celtic groove with great Irish and Scottish baroque and traditional music, performed by fiddler and Irish whistle player Michael Albert, Scottish fiddler Brandon Vance and harpsichordist and cittern player Henry Lebedinsky.

From Seattle Times

Among the highlights are Burns' cittern, a fragment of Jean Armour's wedding dress and original manuscripts including Scots Wha Hae and Auld Lang Syne.

From BBC