Cittern

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cittern \Cit"tern\, n. [L.cithara, Gr. kiqa`ra. Cf. {Cithara},
     {Gittern}.] (Mus.)
     An instrument shaped like a lute, but strung with wire and
     played with a quill or plectrum. [Written also {cithern}.]
     --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: Not to be confounded with zither.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  cittern
       n : a 16th century musical instrument resembling a guitar with a
           pear-shaped soundbox and wire strings [syn: {cithern}, {cither},
            {citole}, {gittern}]