Jew's harp
or Jews' harp
noun
(sometimes lowercase) a small, simple musical instrument consisting of a lyre-shaped metal frame containing a metal tongue, which is plucked while the frame is held in the teeth, the vibrations causing twanging tones.
Origin of Jew's harp
First recorded in 1585–95; perhaps jocular; earlier called Jew's trump
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for jew's-harp
jew's-harp
noun
a musical instrument consisting of a small lyre-shaped metal frame held between the teeth, with a steel tongue plucked with the finger. Changes in pitch are produced by varying the size of the mouth cavities
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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