Clavichord

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈklæv.ɪˌkɔːd/

Definitions

1. A unique stringed musical instrument that produces sound by striking strings with a tangent and allows for expressive dynamics through key pressure
2. An early keyboard instrument characterized by the vibration of strings struck by a tangent, enabling nuanced sound variations
3. A historical keyboard instrument known for producing sound by striking strings with tangents, allowing for intricate dynamics and expressive musical performance

Etymology: The clavichord is a keyboard instrument whose name is built from two Latin words: "clāvis," meaning "key," and "chorda," meaning "cord" or "string." The Renaissance Latin coinage "clavichordium" was combined with these to describe an instrument where pressing a key sends a small metal blade, called a tangent, up against a string. The word reached English by way of German "Klavichord," a path that reflects how closely the instrument was associated with German-speaking musicians and makers. The name's two halves describe the mechanism quite directly. The key is the lever you press, and the string is the thing it sets vibrating, so the word is essentially a literal description of the action. Because the tangent stays in contact with the string while the key is held, the player can control volume and vibrato with finger pressure alone, something few other early keyboards allowed.

Synonyms: keyboard instrument