Back to all words

Lute

3 stages from Arabic to English.

Today it means a pear-shaped stringed musical instrument, popular before the guitar
1
Stage 1 of 3
al-'ud
Arabic · medieval
"a wooden stringed instrument"
literally "the wood", the Arabic stringed instrument
2
Stage 2 of 3
lut
Old French · medieval
"a stringed instrument"
adopted through Moorish musical influence in Spain
3
Stage 3 of 3
lute
English · medieval
"a pear-shaped stringed instrument"
settled as the English name for the instrument
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom