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dulcimer

   Also found in: Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
dul·ci·mer  (dls-mr)
n.
1. A narrow, often hourglass-shaped stringed instrument having three or four strings and a fretted fingerboard, typically held flat across the knees while sitting and played by plucking or strumming. Also called Appalachian dulcimer, mountain dulcimer.
2. The hammered dulcimer.

[Alteration (influenced by Latin dulcis, sweet) of Middle English doucemer, from Old French doulcemer, doulcemele, probably from Latin dulce melos, sweet song : dulce, neuter of dulcis, sweet + melos, song (from Greek melos).]

dulcimer [ˈdʌlsɪmə]
n Music
1. (Music / Instruments) a tuned percussion instrument consisting of a set of strings of graduated length stretched over a sounding board and struck with a pair of hammers
2. (Music / Instruments) an instrument used in US folk music, consisting of an elliptical body, a fretted fingerboard, and usually three strings plucked with a goose quill
[from Old French doulcemer, from Old Italian dolcimelo, from dolce sweet, from Latin dulcis + -melo, perhaps from Greek melos song]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.dulcimerdulcimer - a stringed instrument used in American folk music; an elliptical body and a fretted fingerboard and three strings
stringed instrument - a musical instrument in which taut strings provide the source of sound
2.dulcimer - a trapezoidal zither whose metal strings are struck with light hammers
cither, zither, zithern - a musical stringed instrument with strings stretched over a flat sounding board; it is laid flat and played with a plectrum and with fingers
Translations
dulcimer [ˈdʌlsɪməʳ] Ndulcémele m
dulcimer
nCymbal nt, → Hackbrett nt


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
For the same reason many of the ancient instruments were thrown aside, as the dulcimer and the lyre; as also those which were to inspire those who played on them with pleasure, and which required a nice finger and great skill to play well on.
 
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