Citherns

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Plural form of a stringed musical instrument similar to a lute, featuring a flat back and typically played by plucking or strumming ; multiple examples of a historical chordophone commonly used in Renaissance and Baroque music ensembles ; several traditional string instruments characterized by a rectangular shape and gut or metal strings stretched over a flat soundboard, often found in European folk music contexts
2. Numerous old-fashioned musicians' instruments resembling lutes with a flat wooden body and several strings tuned to provide a melodic accompaniment ; various instances of a plucked stringed instrument popular in early European music, known for its gentle, resonant tones ; multiple small, hand-held chordophones with distinct rectangular forms, often used to accompany singing or dance in historical settings
3. Several types of early string instruments with a flat soundboard and multiple strings that are plucked, often seen in folk and classical music of past centuries ; a count of musical instruments akin to lutes, noted for their use in ensemble and solo performances during the Renaissance era ; a group of traditional plucked instruments, featuring a flat body and several strings, typically used to produce melodic and harmonic sounds in historical music genres

Etymology: The word traces back to the name of an early stringed instrument, the cithern, which was popular in Europe during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This instrument resembles a small guitar or lute and was played by plucking its strings. The plural form, "citherns," simply refers to multiple such instruments. Its etymology leads to the Latin word "cithara," which itself descends from the ancient Greek "kithara," a type of lyre used in classical antiquity. The kithara was associated with professional musicians and often linked to Apollo, the god of music. Over time, as musical instruments evolved and spread across cultures, the term was adapted into Old French as "citerne," before entering English in the 16th or 17th century as "cithern." While the ancient kithara was a lyre with strings stretched across a frame, the cithern transformed into a fretted, plucked instrument more like a guitar. The shift in design reflects changes in musical tastes and technology, but the name remained rooted in its classical origin. The plural "citherns" follows a regular English pattern of adding -s to indicate more than one, rather than adopting any classical plural forms. The word is now largely historical or used in discussions of early music, but it carries the legacy of ancient musical traditions embedded in its name.

Synonyms: lyres, harps, lutes, string instruments, zithers