Where does “psaltery” come from?
psaltery (English) comes from Middle English sauterie, from Old French psalterie, from Latin psaltērium, from Ancient Greek ψαλτήριον, from Ancient Greek ψάλλω, from Ancient Greek ψάω — to touch lightly, rub, wipe, rub smooth; to...
psaltery (English): A zither-like musical instrument consisting of a...
Definitions
- A zither-like musical instrument consisting of a...
Ancestry of “psaltery”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sauterie | A psaltery lute-like string instrument |
| 2 | Old French | psalterie | — |
| 3 | Latin | psaltērium | lute or psaltery |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ψαλτήριον | stringed instrument, harp |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ψάλλω | to twitch; to make a sound by striking, touching,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ψάω | to touch lightly, rub, wipe, rub smooth; to... |