zitherhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zither_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezither, n.
Revised 2021

zithernoun

  1. 1.
    1831–
    A musical instrument of central European origin, having four or five strings over a fretboard for sounding the melody and thirty to forty accompanying strings without frets, all running the length of a flat shallow resonator box, and played by striking or plucking the strings.
    1. 1831
      With only the assistance of a zitter, or German guitar, he contrives to produce the effect of a whole band of music, and mingles together the bassoon, flute, trumpet, &c.
      London Literary Gazette 14 May 317/2
    2. 1871
      Nothing haunted me so much as those tones of her zither.
      G. Meredith, Harry Richmond vol. II. ix. 98
    3. 1938
      Below is the interior of the first American hostel at Northfield, Mass. Playing his zither is Julius Wahl, hostel housefather.
      Life 6 June 62 (caption)
    4. 1949
      Mr Karas has written a tune. He is the composer and chief exponent on his zither of the ‘Harry Lime Theme’.
      Press & Journal (Aberdeen) 21 November 2
    5. 2004
      Lederhosen-clad buskers pick out waltzes on their zithers.
      Wanderlust June 81
  2. 2.
    1877–
    More generally: any of various other musical instruments consisting of a string or strings stretched across a soundboard of some type (and frequently also a resonator) without extending past the body of the instrument.
    1. 1877
      A curious musical instrument now to be seen at a store on East Baltimore street is a Japanese koto, or zither, or harp.
      Daily Evening Bulletin (San Francisco) 14 June
    2. 1893
      A bamboo ‘zither’, the strings of which are of reed fibers stretched over a wooden bridge.
      R. Wallaschek, Primitive Music iii. 122
    3. 1921
      An agglomeration of sound evoked from one-string fiddles, Chinese zithers, and..drums.
      Fort Wayne (Indiana) Jrnl.-Gaz. 26 June
    4. 1964
      Valiha, idiochord tube zither of the Malagasy Republic..made of bamboo with 7–20 strings.
      S. Marcuse, Musical Instruments 560/1
    5. 2005
      See Syria's premier zither player Abdullah Chhadeh.
      Independent (Nexis) 1 August 10

zither, n. was revised in March 2021.

zither, n. was last modified in December 2024.