lyre

Meaning

Noun

1. An ancient stringed musical instrument (a yoke lute chordophone) of Greek origin, consisting of two arms extending from a body to a crossbar (a yoke), and strings, parallel to the soundboard, connecting the body to the yoke.
2. An ancient stringed musical instrument (a yoke lute chordophone) of Greek origin, consisting of two arms extending from a body to a crossbar (a yoke), and strings, parallel to the soundboard, connecting the body to the yoke.
3. A lyre-shaped sheet music holder that attaches to a wind instrument when a music stand is impractical.
4. (obsolete) A composer of lyric poetry.

Verb

to play the lyre

Synonyms

plectrum

zither

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈlaɪ.ə/

Etymology

From Ancient Greek λύρᾱ (lúrā, “lyre, a stringed instrument with a sounding-board formed of the shell of a tortoise”). Doublet of lira and Lyra.