Cithers

/ˈsɪðərz/ noun

Definition

Plural of cither; multiple stringed instruments, variants of the zither or cithern.

Etymology

The plural form of cither, created by adding the standard English plural suffix '-s'.

Kelly Says

The persistence of multiple spelling variations like cithers, citherns, and citterns in historical documents suggests that early modern English didn't have standardized spelling conventions—musicians might own a 'cither' or a 'citterne' without any distinction between the words, which is wild to modern readers expecting consistency.

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