zither

noun

zith·​er ˈzi-t͟hər  -thər 

: a stringed instrument having usually 30 to 40 strings over a shallow horizontal soundboard and played with pick and fingers

zitherist

ˈzi-t͟hə-rist  -thə- 

noun

Illustration of zither

Examples of zither in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

We were drawn to Laraaji’s organic droning on zither. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2025

There were electric and acoustic guitars — nice ones — to borrow, as well as a drum kit and multiple zithers. — Julia Whelan Emma Kehlbeck Jeremy McLennan, New York Times, 2 May 2025

The monks, all old men, prostrate themselves in unison with the congregation, while a band of musicians makes a whining cacophony with their zithers in the background. — Hanya Yanagihara, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2022

Indeed, there are few Indonesian traces in East Africa besides some musical instruments like the xylophone and the zither and the Indonesian crops discussed earlier. — Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

German, from Old High German zitara, cithara, from Latin cithara cithara — more at cither

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for zither

• cither
• dither
• hither
• ither
• slither
• thither
• whither

Kids Definition

zither

noun

zith·​er ˈzit͟h-ər  ˈzith- 

: a stringed instrument with thirty to forty tuned strings that are plucked with the fingers or with a pick