Illustration of lyre
- lyre 1
1
: a stringed instrument of the harp class having an approximately U-shaped frame and used by the ancient Greeks especially to accompany song and recitation (see recitation sense 2)
2
: a small clip typically resembling a lyre that is use for holding sheet music and attaches to a musical instrument (such as a trombone)
3
capitalized
: lyra
Examples of lyre in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The night concluded with daughter Carolina presenting her father with a special birthday present, a statue of Apollo playing a lyre, as well as an enormous birthday cake with 70 candles, which the birthday boy proceeded to blow out whilst walking around table-sized dish.
—
Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2023
Some recent scholarship has challenged Nero’s reputation for profligacy, suggesting that he was portrayed by ancient historians as a villain, accused of playing a lyre while Rome burned in A.D. 64.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 30 July 2023
My handbag becomes my lyre.
—Adali Schell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2022
Cut and paste the strings upon my lyre.
—Eli Burnstein, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2022
Ustinov calls for his lyre.
—Gaia Squarci, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2020
One lyre-like instrument from Central Africa features a resonator fashioned from an actual human skull.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2022
Amadeo is shaped like a lyre and was named for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who also hails from Austria and was born the year the Riedel was founded.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2022
Also among the discoveries from the shipwrecks was a red gemstone engraved with a tiny image of a lyre, reports Amy Spiro for the Times of Israel.
—Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2021
See More
Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2023
Some recent scholarship has challenged Nero’s reputation for profligacy, suggesting that he was portrayed by ancient historians as a villain, accused of playing a lyre while Rome burned in A.D. 64.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 30 July 2023
My handbag becomes my lyre.
—Adali Schell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2022
Cut and paste the strings upon my lyre.
—Eli Burnstein, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2022
Ustinov calls for his lyre.
—Gaia Squarci, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2020
One lyre-like instrument from Central Africa features a resonator fashioned from an actual human skull.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2022
Amadeo is shaped like a lyre and was named for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who also hails from Austria and was born the year the Riedel was founded.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2022
Also among the discoveries from the shipwrecks was a red gemstone engraved with a tiny image of a lyre, reports Amy Spiro for the Times of Israel.
—Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lyre.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English lire, from Anglo-French, from Latin lyra, from Greek
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of lyre was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing lyre
Dictionary Entries Near lyre
Cite this Entry
“Lyre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lyre. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
lyre
noun
: a small harp held in the hands for playing
More from Merriam-Webster on lyre
Nglish: Translation of lyre for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of lyre for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lyre
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share