lyre

American  

[lahy^uhr] / laɪər /

noun

1. 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.

2. Astronomy. Lyre, the constellation Lyra.

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lyre British  

/ laɪə /

noun

1. 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

2. any ancient instrument of similar design

3. a medieval bowed instrument of the violin family

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Etymology

Origin of lyre

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

Explanation

A lyre is a stringed musical instrument that looks like a very small harp. Ancient Greek art includes many pictures of people playing the lyre. In Greek mythology, the god Hermes created the first lyre from the entrails of Apollo's cows. Rather than being angry about the stolen cattle, when Apollo heard the lyre's music, he was enchanted. While musicians today play many versions of lyre-like instruments, the lyre itself is thought of as an antique, mostly of historical interest. While experts know that the root lyra is a Greek word, its origin is unknown.

Example Sentences

Fun fact: In keeping with the source material’s ancient Greek nature, the movie’s composer, Ludwig Göransson, used a lyre for the score.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

In fact, Nero often played a type of lyre called a cithara.

From Scientific American • Aug. 9, 2023

Stories and works of art tell us that the African god Àyàn was a drummer; the Greek god Apollo played the lyre, a string instrument.

From Salon • Oct. 22, 2022

The hills of Olympus have never been more than a few strums of the lyre away from the stages of the theater, but lately the mist of mythology has seemed particularly thick.

From Washington Post • Dec. 2, 2021

Zeus made him give them back, and he won Apollo’s forgiveness by presenting him with the lyre which he had just invented, making it out of a tortoise’s shell.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton