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psaltery

American  
[sawl-tuh-ree] / ˈsɔl tə ri /

noun

plural

psalteries
  1. an ancient musical instrument consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings which are plucked with the fingers or with a plectrum.

  2. (initial capital letter) the Psalter.


psaltery British  
/ ˈsɔːltərɪ /

noun

  1. music an ancient stringed instrument similar to the lyre, but having a trapezoidal sounding board over which the strings are stretched

"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 psaltery

1300–50; Middle English sautrie < Middle French sauter(i)e < Late Latin psaltērium; see Psalter

Vocabulary lists containing psaltery

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.

She strummed on a psaltery which looks like a large, shallow cigar-box with strings.

From Time Magazine Archive

Beers's grandfather taught him to play the psaltery, but his real ambition was to be a concert violinist.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the demand for psaltery players and country fiddlers was not exactly booming.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is akin to the biblical instrument called the psaltery.

From Time Magazine Archive

The dulcimer differed from the psalterium or psaltery chiefly in the manner of playing, the latter having the strings plucked by means of fingers or plectrum.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 8 "Dubner" to "Dyeing" by Various

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