psaltery

Meaning

Noun

• A zither-like musical instrument consisting of a soundboard with multiple strings, played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum.

Origin

• A learned alteration of Middle English sautrie, from Old French psalterie, from Latin psaltērium, from Ancient Greek ψαλτήριον ("stringed instrument, psaltery, harp"), from ψάλλω and in the case of the strings of musical instruments, “to play a stringed instrument with the fingers, and not with the plectron”.