Cither (Noun)
Meaning 1
A musical stringed instrument with strings stretched over a flat sounding board; it is laid flat and played with a plectrum and with fingers.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 2
A 16th century musical instrument resembling a guitar with a pear-shaped soundbox and wire strings.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- Musicians during the Renaissance period often included the cithern in their string ensembles due to its rich, mellow tones.
- Orlando Gibbons, a prominent composer, featured the cithern prominently in many of his works, often pairing it with the lute.
- As he wandered through the bustling market square, the street performer's cithern captured the attention of the crowd with its lively, intricate melodies.
- The cithern's popularity waned with the rise of the violin in the late 16th century, but it continued to be played by devoted enthusiasts.
- Renaissance-era illustrations frequently depicted royal courts featuring the cithern as a centerpiece of musical entertainment.