Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “citternist” come from?

citternist (English) comes from English cittern, from English gittern, from Middle English giterne, from Old French guiterne, from Old Spanish guitarra, from Arabic قِيثَارَة, from Latin cithara, from Ancient Greek κιθάρα — lyre; the ribs of the horse; ivy.

citternist (English): Someone who plays the cittern

Definitions

  1. Someone who plays the cittern

Ancestry of “citternist”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcitternA stringed instrument , played with a plectrum ,...
2EnglishgitternA small, quill-plucked, gut-strung musical...
3Middle Englishgiterne—
4Old Frenchguiterne—
5Old Spanishguitarra—
6Arabicقِيثَارَة—
7Latincitharacithara, lyre, lute, guitar; guitar
8Ancient Greekκιθάραlyre; the ribs of the horse; ivy
Every word from Ancient Greek κιθάρα →