Tanbur
/ˈtæn.bʊr/noun
A long-necked, lute-like stringed instrument found in Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and South Asian music traditions.
Did you know?Tanbur belongs to a very old Persian musical word-family that spread through Arabic, Turkish, and beyond, showing how sacred court music could move through trade routes like hidden knowledge.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Persian
Middle Persian
tanbūr
“A stringed musical instrument, likely a long-necked lute”
Medieval Persian
Persian
tanbūr
“A lute-like instrument used in court and regional music”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ṭanbūr
“A long-necked lute or similar plucked instrument”
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish
tanbur
“A lute-like stringed instrument in classical Ottoman music”
Modern English
English
tanbur
“A long-necked lute of the Middle East and Central Asia”