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

Currently, Clay Street Unit is Walker on guitar and vocals, mandolinist Scottie Bolin, pedal steel player Brad Larrison, drummer Brendan Lamb, bassist Jack Kotarba, and fiddle player Dan Andree. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026

That group includes Adeline Hotel frontman Dan Knishkowy, who plays guitar on West’s spellbinding second album, Silent Century. —Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026

Rapp also plays guitar in a school band. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026

In the video, Spencer, a composer, plays keyboard and guitar and sings in a gorgeous tenor that reaches effortlessly to falsetto. —John Kenney, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for guitar

• adar
• afar
• ajar
• alar
• ansar
• bazaar
• bizarre
• boxcar
• boyar
• bulbar
• cachar
• cigar

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)