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oud

American  
[ood] / ud /

noun

  1. a musical instrument of the Middle East and northern Africa belonging to the lute family.


oud British  
/ uːd /

noun

  1. an Arabic stringed musical instrument resembling a lute or mandolin

"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

Etymology

Origin of oud

1730–40; < Arabic ʿūd literally, wood; see lute 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A cologne with notes of violet, oud and cinnamon ensures he’ll leave a lasting impression long after he’s left a room.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 12, 2026

He used to play the oud - his favourite instrument - but this requires two hands.

From BBC Oct. 25, 2024

Around this time, Lindley struck up a partnership with Hani Naser, recording a series of albums with the Jordanian oud player.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 3, 2023

Ahmed had no musical ambitions until he was 14, when he watched his brother Hussein take lessons on an oud that their sister Malkah had bought him as a gift in Egypt.

From New York Times Oct. 26, 2022

“This oud was made in Turkey. It was a gift,” Mari Luz tells us.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

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