dulcimer

noun

dul·​ci·​mer ˈdəl-sə-mər How to pronounce dulcimer (audio)
1
: a stringed instrument of trapezoidal shape played with light hammers held in the hands
2
or less commonly dulcimore : 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

Examples of dulcimer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Rolling Stones rose to the challenge with Aftermath, dabbling in sitar and dulcimer. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Between the Buttons, however, is a fetchingly bespoke potpourri of pop styles, its sound largely shaped by Jones jumping around the studio laying down overdubs of dulcimer, kazoo, tuba, recorder, accordion, and vibraphone. Al Shipley, SPIN, 17 Oct. 2023 The folk artist and children’s musician will also teach a class in songwriting class each day of the session at 10:30 a.m. Class offerings are wide-ranging, providing opportunities to learn common instruments such as guitar or rarer ones like dulcimer. Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2023 There is more uniformity of tone than a modern grand, but less volume and a more metallic sound, somewhat like a hammered dulcimer played with a soft mallet. Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2023 And my father plays both the Yangqin, which is the butterfly dulcimer, and the bamboo flute, both of which are Chinese folk instruments. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 5 May 2023 Mike handed over the dulcimer. John Kelly, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2023 This is a mountain dulcimer 11. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2021 Arman said that at some point his father taught himself to play the Santoor, a Persian instrument akin to a zither or a hammered dulcimer. Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dulcimer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dulcimer was in 1509

Dictionary Entries Near dulcimer

Cite this Entry

“Dulcimer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dulcimer. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dulcimer

noun
dul·​ci·​mer ˈdəl-sə-mər How to pronounce dulcimer (audio)
1
: a stringed instrument played with light hammers held in the hands
2
or dulcimore
-ˌmōr How to pronounce dulcimer (audio)
-ˌmȯr
: an American folk instrument with three or four strings held on the lap and played by plucking or strumming

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