clavicytherium

Meaning

Noun

• A harpsichord in which the soundboard and strings are mounted vertically facing the player.

Origin

• From Late Latin clavicytherium, from Medieval Latin clāvis ("key") (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w- ("crook, hook, peg"), possibly through Ancient Greek κλείς ("bar, bolt; key")) + cithara (from Ancient Greek κῐθᾰ́ρᾱ ("lyre")) + -ium.