guitar

Etymology

From Spanish guitarra, from Arabic قِيثَارَة (qīṯāra), from Latin cithara, from Ancient Greek κιθάρα (kithára). Doublet of cithara, cither, and zither.

noun

1. (music) A stringed musical instrument, of European origin, usually with a fretted fingerboard and six strings, played with the fingers or a plectrum (guitar pick).
   Learning to strum the guitar rhythmically is essential.
   She was carrying her guitar in a fancily-decorated case.
   The band is looking for a new guitar player.
2. (music) Any type of musical instrument of the lute family, characterized by a flat back, along with a neck whose upper surface is in the same plane as the soundboard, with strings along the neck and parallel to the soundboard.

verb

1. (rare) To play the guitar.
   We guitared and drummed and head banged and pianoed. 2020, Becky Manawatu, Auē, page 139