How Do You Spell CITHER?

Pronunciation: [sˈɪðə] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "cither" may seem odd, but it is actually derived from the Greek word "kithara." In IPA phonetic transcription, it would be spelled /ˈsɪðər/. The "th" combination is often used to represent the "θ" or "ð" sounds in English, which are the voiceless and voiced dental fricatives. However, in the case of "cither," the "th" represents the unvoiced dental fricative sound, rather than the voiced sound that is typically associated with this spelling.

CITHER Meaning and Definition

1. A cither is a type of musical instrument that belongs to the string family. It typically consists of a flat, shallow wooden soundbox with a rounded lower edge, and a long, fretted neck that extends from the soundbox. The soundbox is often covered with a resonating membrane, such as animal skin or parchment.

   The cither is played by plucking the strings, which are stretched parallel to the neck of the instrument. These strings are usually made of gut, nylon, or steel, and are attached to the soundbox at the lower end and to tuning pegs at the top end of the neck. The player can manipulate the pitch of each string by pressing them down against the frets on the neck.

   The cither produces a rich, melodic sound that is similar to other stringed instruments, such as the guitar or the harp. It is commonly used in traditional folk music of various cultures, as well as in classical music compositions. The instrument can be played solo or as part of an ensemble, and its versatile nature allows for a wide range of musical expressions.

   The term "cither" may also refer specifically to a zither-like instrument that was popular in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. The cither of this era had a smaller body and fewer strings than its modern counterparts.

Common Misspellings for CITHER

• xither
• vither
• dither
• cuther
• cjther
• ckther
• c9ther
• c8ther
• cifher
• cigher
• ciyher
• ci6her
• ci5her
• citger
• citber
• citner
• citjer
• cituer
• cityer
• cithwr

Etymology of CITHER

The term "cither" is derived from the Greek word "kithara" (κιθάρα), which refers to a stringed musical instrument. The Greek term was later adopted into Latin as "cithara" and subsequently evolved into "cither" in English. The instrument itself has a long history and was commonly used in ancient Greece and Rome. Over time, variations of the instrument emerged in different regions, giving rise to different names such as "guitar" and "zither".

Similar spelling words for CITHER

• either,
• cite,
• wither,
• scythe,
• zither,
• slither,
• cather,
• cider.

Plural form of CITHER is CITHERS