guitar

noun

gui·​tar gə-ˈtär 

gi-,

 especially Southern and Midland US also  ˈgi-ˌtär

: a flat-bodied stringed instrument with a long fretted neck and usually six strings played with a pick or with the fingers

guitarist

gə-ˈtär-ist 

gi-

noun

Illustration of guitar

• 1 electric
• 2 acoustic

Examples of guitar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There is something hilarious about a miniature Beetlejuice trying to serenade Lydia from the model of the town, strumming his tiny guitar. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Sep. 2024

The man who invented history’s most iconic electric guitar couldn’t play, or even tune it. —David Levine, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Sep. 2024

Natalia Lafourcade is sitting on a bench with her guitar in hand in the middle of the Blue Ribbon Garden, situated atop the Walt Disney Concert Hall. —Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024

Meanwhile, Drew Nix, who plays guitar and writes a lot of the songs, grew up further north, in Birmingham. —Sid Evans, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French guitare, from Spanish guitarra, from Arabic qītār, from Greek kithara cithara

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing guitar

• air guitar
• bottleneck guitar
• Hawaiian guitar
• lap steel guitar
• pedal steel guitar
• resonator guitar
• resophonic guitar
• steel guitar

Kids Definition

guitar

noun

gui·​tar gə-ˈtär 

: a stringed instrument with a flat body, a long neck with frets, and usually six strings that are played with the fingers or with a pick

guitarist

-əst 

noun

Etymology

from French guitare "guitar," derived from Arabic qītār (same meaning)