Dulcimers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of stringed musical instrument played by striking strings with hammers or plucking with fingers
2. Often associated with folk music traditions, producing a sweet and soothing sound
3. Typically trapezoidal in shape, it is widely used in various cultures for both solo and ensemble performances

Etymology: "Dulcimers" is the plural of "dulcimer," an instrument whose name carries its own description: it comes from Old French "doulcemelle," probably from Latin "dulce melos," meaning "sweet song." The Latin phrase joins "dulce," sweet, with "melos," a borrowing from Ancient Greek "mélos," melody or song, so the name is essentially a compliment built into the instrument's label. The surprising twist is that the name has travelled far beyond its French origins while keeping its sweetness. The Old French form reshaped the Latin phrase into something that sounds like a single word, and the English term followed that French path. The instrument itself, with its strings stretched across a trapezoidal body and struck with small hammers or plucked, appears in many cultures under different names, but the English word preserves that original notion of a sweet song.