dulcimer

[duhl-suh-mer]

noun

1. Also called hammer dulcimer. Also called hammered dulcimer;. a trapezoidal zither with metal strings that are struck with light hammers.

2. Appalachian dulcimer.

dulcimer

/ ˈdʌlsɪmə /

noun

1. 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. an instrument used in US folk music, consisting of an elliptical body, a fretted fingerboard, and usually three strings plucked with a goose quill

Word History and Origins

Origin of dulcimer¹

First recorded in 1560–70; alteration of Middle English dowcemere, from Middle French doulcemer, dissimilated variant of doulcemele, from Old Italian dolcimelo, dolzemele, from Latin dulce melos “sweet song”; dulcet, melic

Word History and Origins

Origin of dulcimer¹

C15: from Old French doulcemer, from Old Italian dolcimelo, from dolce sweet, from Latin dulcis + -melo, perhaps from Greek melos song

Example Sentences

It's named after the Farsi word for "my darling" and features an ear-tingling riff on the santur - a hammered dulcimer of Iranian origin.

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The wall with dulcimers from the ’70s, the paintings on the doorways — it was just unbelievable as a huge Joni fan.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He sticks primarily to keyboards, acoustic guitar and dulcimer.

Read more on Seattle Times

Naval Academy’s fight song — on a hammered dulcimer on her lap in hopes that the breeze would somehow carry the melody to the Carters.

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The full story of Brian Jones’s stolen dulcimer can be told.

Read more on Washington Post