Lyre
/ˈlaɪə(r)/noun
A stringed musical instrument with a U-shaped frame, used especially in ancient Greece.
Did you know?In Greek myth, the lyre was associated with Apollo, and the same ancient root also gave English words like "lyric" and "lyricism," proving poetry and music were once treated as one kind of power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lī̆r-
“A proposed ancient root connected with a stringed instrument, though the exact prehistory is uncertain.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
λύρα (lýra)
“A lyre, a plucked string instrument.”
Late Latin
Latin
lyra
“A lyre; also the constellation Lyra.”
Old French
Old French
lyre
“A lyre.”
Middle English
English
lyre
“A lyre, especially in reference to classical antiquity.”
Explore more surprising origins