Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “guitar” come from?

Guitar comes from Spanish guitarra, from Latin cithara, from Ancient Greek κιθάρα, a stringed musical instrument.

guitar (English): A stringed musical instrument, of European...

Definitions

  1. A stringed musical instrument, of European...

Ancestry of “guitar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishguitarraguitar
2Old Spanishguitarra—
3Arabicقِيثَارَة—
4Latincitharacithara, lyre, lute, guitar; guitar
5Ancient Greekκιθάραlyre; the ribs of the horse; ivy

Words derived from “guitar”

  • guitarist
  • guitarlike
  • guitarfish
  • guitaristic
  • guitarwork
  • guitarless
  • guitary
  • nonguitarist
  • 結他
  • ギター
  • ギタリスト
  • 기타
  • giotár
  • giotáraí
  • aerghiotár
  • กีตาร์
  • gitar
  • ဂီတာ
  • গিটার
  • gita
  • kitalaq
Every word from Ancient Greek κιθάρα →