Barbiton
/ˈbɑːr.bɪ.tɒn/noun
An ancient Greek stringed instrument resembling a lyre, usually described as having a relatively deep tone.
Did you know?The barbiton was associated with performers such as the poet Anacreon, but the Greek word’s ultimate origin remains uncertain rather than securely magical or Indo-European.
Etymological Timeline
Late 6th–5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
βάρβιτος (barbitos)
“A plucked string instrument, generally understood as a type of lyre with a lower register.”
Classical Greek
Ancient Greek
βάρβιτον (barbiton)
“The accusative or neuter form used for the instrument’s name in Greek texts.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
barbitus
“A Greek-style stringed instrument mentioned in Latin literary and lexicographical traditions.”
17th Century
English
barbiton
“A learned English borrowing used by scholars for the ancient Greek instrument.”
Modern English
English
barbiton
“A historical term for an ancient Greek lyre-like instrument; its exact construction is debated.”