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dulcimer
(redirected from dulcimers)

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 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 periodicals archive
 
Leah and Geoffrey Levitt of Lancaster had their dulcimers in cases by their side as they listened to performers on the festival's main stage.
Students might learn to make traditional African drums or Appalachian dulcimers.
Mountain dulcimers are lightweight wooden instruments with only three or four strings; they look like guitars on a diet.
 
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