Main Entry:

dul·ci·mer

Pronunciation:

\ˈdəl-sə-mər\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English dowcemere, from Middle French doulcemer, from Old Italian dolcimelo, from dolce sweet, from Latin dulcis

Date:

15th century

1: a stringed instrument of trapezoidal shape played with light hammers held in the hands2or dul·ci·more \-ˌmȯr\ : an American folk instrument with three or four strings stretched over an elongate fretted sound box that is held on the lap and played by plucking or strumming