guitar

[gi-tahr] /gɪˈtɑr/
noun
1.
a stringed musical instrument with a long, fretted neck, a flat, somewhat violinlike body, and typically six strings, which are plucked with the fingers or with a plectrum.
Origin
1615-25; < Spanish guitarra < Arabic kītārah ≪ Greek kithára kithara
Examples from the web for guitar
  • He has been learning to play the guitar for a little over a year now.
  • But that still doesn't demystify the acoustic guitar.
  • The solid spruce top helps the guitar achieve a depth of tone that belies its slight dimensions.
  • His interests include playing the guitar and computer games.
  • He began playing the guitar at age five, encouraged by his musician father.
  • The acoustic guitar and percussion section comes back in for the chorus.
British Dictionary definitions for guitar

guitar

/ɡɪˈtɑː/
noun
1.
(music) a plucked stringed instrument originating in Spain, usually having six strings, a flat sounding board with a circular sound hole in the centre, a flat back, and a fretted fingerboard. Range: more than three octaves upwards from E on the first leger line below the bass staff See also electric guitar, bass guitar, Hawaiian guitar
Derived Forms
guitarist, noun
guitar-like, adjective
Word Origin
C17: from Spanish guitarra, from Arabic qītār, from Greek kitharacithara
Word Origin and History for guitar
n.

1620s, ultimately from Greek kithara "cithara," a stringed musical instrument related to the lyre, perhaps from Persian sihtar (see sitar); the name reached English several times, including early 14c. giterne, in reference to various stringed, guitar-like instruments; the modern word is directly from Spanish guittara, from Arabic qitar, from the Greek.

guitar in Culture

guitar definition


A stringed musical instrument (see strings) usually played by strumming or plucking. Guitars are widely used in folk music and, often amplified electronically, in country and western music and rock 'n' roll.