kantele

noun

kan·te·le ˈkän-tə-lə

: a traditional Finnish zither originally having five strings but now having as many as thirty

Word History

Etymology

Finnish

First Known Use

circa 1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of kantele was circa 1903

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Browse Nearby Words

kantar

kantele

kanten

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Kantele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kantele. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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