Mbira
/əmˈbɪərə/noun
A Zimbabwean thumb piano with metal tines mounted on a wooden board or resonator.
Did you know?The mbira is central to Shona spiritual ceremonies called bira, where its interlocking patterns are believed to help invite ancestral presence and guidance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
Bantu
*mbira
“A plucked instrument or sound-producing device”
Shona
Bantu
mbira
“A thumb piano or lamellaphone used in music and ritual”
19th Century
English
mbira
“Borrowed term for the Zimbabwean thumb piano”
20th Century
English
mbira
“Standard English name for the Shona lamellaphone”