harpsichord
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harpsichord
- /ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d/ UK
- /ˈhɑɹp.sɪˌkɔɹd/ US
Where it comes from
Early 1600s, borrowed from French harpechord (“harp string”), from New Latin harpichordium, from harpa (“harp”) + chorda (“string”). Influenced by and possibly also borrowed from Italian arpicordo, producing variant spellings. The unetymological -s-, which predominates by the 1660s, is of unclear origin.
noun harpsichords · harpsicord · harpicord · harpichord · harpsicon · Cemb.
- A stringed musical instrument with a keyboard, the mechanical precursor to the fortepiano, in which each key causes a plectrum to pluck a corresponding tuned string, producing a bright, sharp tone similar to that of a harp.
Translations
Every language
noun musical instrument
| Español | clavecín, clave, clavicordio, clavicémbalo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 하프시코드 hapeusikodeu |
| 日本語 | チェンバロ chenbaro, ハープシコード hāpushikōdo, クラヴサン kuravusan |
| 中文 | 大鍵琴 /大键琴 dàjiànqín |
| Português | cravo |
| Français | clavecin |
| Deutsch | Spinett, Cembalo |
| Italiano | clavicembalo, cembalo |
| Ελληνικά | τσέμπαλο tsémpalo |
| Română | clavecin |
| Русский | клавеси́н klavesín |
| Tiếng Việt | đàn clavico |
| العربية | بِيَانُ القِيثَارِي biyānu l-qīṯārī |
| עברית | צֶ׳מבָּלוֹ |
Talk about this word "harpsichord." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/harpsichord. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. harpsichord. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/harpsichord "harpsichord." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/harpsichord.Cite this
@misc{harpsichord_2026,
title = {harpsichord},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/harpsichord},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
