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koto

[ koh-toh; Japanese kaw-taw ]
/ ˈkoʊ toʊ; Japanese ˈkɔˈtɔ /
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noun, plural ko·tos, ko·to.
a Japanese musical instrument having numerous strings, usually seven or thirteen, that are stretched over a convex wooden sounding board and are plucked with three plectra, worn on the thumb, index finger, and middle finger of one hand.
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Origin of koto

Borrowed into English from Japanese around 1785–95
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use koto in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for koto

koto
/ (ˈkəʊtəʊ) /

noun plural kotos
a Japanese stringed instrument, consisting of a rectangular wooden body over which are stretched silk strings, which are plucked with plectrums or a nail-like device

Word Origin for koto

Japanese
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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