A small, pear-shaped medieval stringed instrument with a neck, played with a plectrum, similar to a guitar or lute.
From Middle English 'gytterne,' derived from Old French 'guiterne,' itself from Arabic 'qitārah.' The instrument traveled from the Middle East to Europe via trade and cultural exchange.
The gittern's name traveled from Arabic to French to English—a perfect example of how the Silk Road wasn't just goods but also musical ideas, with instruments bringing their names along.
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