guitar

Where does the word "guitar" come from? It comes from Greek kithara, passing through Arabic and Spanish before entering English (1600s).

Guitar’s story begins in Greek: kithara meant “a stringed instrument.” An ancient stringed instrument related to the lyre. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Arabic as qitara. Carried through Arabic-influenced Spain into European instrument vocabulary. From there it passed into Spanish as guitarra by medieval. Settled in Spanish for the fretted, stringed instrument. It reached English by 1600s as guitar. The Spanish guitar became popular in England in the 1600s at the court of Charles II. Today, guitar means a stringed musical instrument played by plucking or strumming.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient kithara "a stringed instrument", an ancient stringed instrument related to the lyre.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval qitara "a stringed instrument", carried through Arabic-influenced Spain into European instrument vocabulary.
3. Stage 3 · Spanish · medieval guitarra "a fretted stringed instrument", settled in Spanish for the fretted, stringed instrument.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s guitar "a fretted stringed musical instrument", the Spanish guitar became popular in England in the 1600s at the court of Charles II.