Clavecins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A stringed musical instrument from the Renaissance similar to a harpsichord, played by plucking strings with quills
2. An older keyboard instrument characterized by its harpsichord-like sound, commonly used in early music
3. A historical keyboard device known for its distinctive timbre, often featured in ensembles and solo performances

Etymology: "Clavecins" is simply the plural of "clavecin", the French name for the harpsichord, so the story belongs to that root. The French word combines "clavier", meaning keyboard or set of keys, with a suffix that marks an instrument, and it was borrowed into English as a term for the older keyboard instrument whose strings are plucked by quills rather than struck by hammers. English speakers used the French name mainly when they wanted to sound learned or refer to the instrument in a continental setting, which is why it survives mostly in historical and musical writing.