Pandur

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A stringed musical instrument with a curved body and a long neck typically used in folk music settings
2. An old type of lute characterized by its distinctive shape and sound, often played in Eastern European traditions
3. A classical instrument resembling a lute or guitar, known for its resonant tone and often utilized in traditional performances

Etymology: The instrument's name traces back to ancient Greece, where "pandoura" was the name of a long-necked lute. It passed into Latin as "pandura," and the same root produced the instrument's name in several Balkan and Eastern European languages, where it stayed attached to long-necked plucked lutes. The English word is easy to confuse with a different "pandur," a soldier. That word came into European languages from the Balkans and Hungary, where "pandur" named a irregular foot soldier or militiaman. The two words are homonyms that appear to have separate origins, and the musical sense is the one English readers most often meet, usually in discussions of folk music from the region.

Synonyms: police, guard, constable, soldier, watchman

Antonyms: civilian, rebel, criminal, outlaw, insurgent