kantele

American  

[kahn-tuh-luh] / ˈkɑn tə lə /

noun

• kanteles
  plural

1. a traditional Finnish and Karelian zither played by plucking the strings: Finland's national instrument.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kanteles
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kantele

Plucked phrases on the kantele and the strings seem at once delicately spiritual and skittishly angular.

From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2018

“The bass strings are something like rain; the small strings talk like a whisper,” a vocal quartet sings delicately above trilling strings and piccolo, while the kantele creates a resonant cascade of sound.

From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2018

Then over the meadows, still playing, until the very ferns and flowers laughed with delight and the bushes chimed in in unison with the magic music of the kantele.

From Finnish Legends for English Children by R. Eivind

And the maiden willingly gave up a portion of her golden hair, and from it Wainamoinen wove five strings, and at last the second kantele was complete.

From Finnish Legends for English Children by R. Eivind

In a corner hung a kantele, the instrument to which the Finns sing their famous songs as described.

From Through Finland in Carts by Mrs. (Ethel) Alec-Tweedie