koto

American  

[koh-toh, kaw-taw] / ˈkoʊ toʊ, ˈkɔˈtɔ /

noun

kotos, plural koto plural

1. 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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koto British  

/ ˈkəʊtəʊ /

noun

1. 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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• koto
  plural
• kotos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of koto

Borrowed into English from Japanese around 1785–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

koto kotos

Unusual turmoil turns out to be unusual musical love letters between Lewis and his wife, the Japanese composer and koto virtuoso Miya Masaoka.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2020

This is a series of, of all things, trombone and koto duets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2020

Like the Coltranes, father and son, Tyner has worked hard to integrate African, Latin and Asian elements into his jazz, introducing such instruments as wood flute, koto and hand drums into his arrangements.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 18, 2018

It wanders from plinking bell tones and samples of hummed notes to hints of Japanese koto into drums and synthesizers that sound like the start of a big trance buildup.

From New York Times ● Jun. 3, 2016

He drew his koto towards him and struck a melancholy air, as he hummed a verse of a poem in a low tone.

From Japanese Literature Including Selections from Genji Monogatari and Classical Poetry and Drama of Japan by Wilson, Epiphanius

Therefore kotos does not bide its time for taking vengeance, but in course of time spends itself.

From Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint