keytar

noun

key·​tar ˈkē-ˌtär How to pronounce keytar (audio)
plural keytars
: an electronic keyboard that is supported by a shoulder strap and worn across the body like a guitar
Freedom arrived in the '80s with this shoulder-hung keyboard with a guitar-style grip—often called a "keytar," because nobody wanted to say, "Dude, nice shoulder-hung keyboard with a guitar-style grip!"Jonathan Lesser
Lady Gaga isn't built to go halfway. She plays sweeping statements as virtuosically as her grand piano, and shameless statements as shamelessly as her keytar.Caryn Ganz

Examples of keytar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web David Arquette is remembering his days behind the keytar in the 90210 with late stars Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 22 July 2024 The kick of the night, however, may be witnessing the 84-year-old luminary rise up from the keyboards, take center stage with his signature keytar and shred like a rock star. Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2024 There was even a keytar and a circular piano like the one at the Mos Eisley cantina. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2024 And while the cover is fierce, the whole things also comes off kind of cute thanks to the sight of all those kics packed into a room festooned with streamers and balloons ripping it on guitars and keytars. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024 According to Hypebeast, leaks of the game promise that The Weeknd x Fortnite Festival will feature a new microphone design, two new bass designs, three songs, a keytar design and a Weeknd skin available through a Festival Pass. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Dec. 2023 The band’s Uruguayan keytar player Agustina Ruiz also has a punk background as a singer. Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2022 Not only did this performance feature a whole lot of guitar shredding, but Jimmy Jam even busted out the keytar for the occasion. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2022 Visitors snap pictures of a portable keyboard called a keytar that, of course, is purple. Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 July 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of keytar was in 1979

Dictionary Entries Near keytar

Cite this Entry

“Keytar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keytar. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

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