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

Sorenson Capital—like Mormonism, the electric guitar, and frisbee—has origins in Utah, and expanded beyond. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 June 2025

President Trump reported income of more than $630 million last year, including $57 million from cryptocurrency sales and more than $8 million licensing his name for products like watches, guitars and Bibles. —Stephen Fowler, NPR, 26 June 2025

McKitrick’s razor-wire guitar and the powerful rhythm section of Williams and Brymer, along with Martin’s vocals and in-your face lyrics, combine for songs that are confrontational, tumultuous and tuneful. —Sean Clancy, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025

The idea of someone like Elliott Smith, just guitar and one person, or something as obvious as Red Hot Chili Peppers. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2025

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

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)