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lyre

[ lahyuhr ]
/ laɪər /
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noun
a musical instrument of ancient Greece consisting of a soundbox made typically from a turtle shell, with two curved arms connected by a yoke from which strings are stretched to the body, used especially to accompany singing and recitation.
Lyre, Astronomy. the constellation Lyra.
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Origin of lyre

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English lire, from Latin lyra, from Greek lýra

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lyre

liar, lyre
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lyre in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lyre

lyre
/ (laɪə) /

noun
an ancient Greek stringed instrument consisting of a resonating tortoise shell to which a crossbar was attached by two projecting arms. It was plucked with a plectrum and used for accompanying songs
any ancient instrument of similar design
a medieval bowed instrument of the violin family

Word Origin for lyre

C13: via Old French from Latin lyra, from Greek lura
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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