A stringed musical instrument designed to produce harmonic tones, or an early keyboard instrument with sympathetic strings.
From harmonic (Greek harmonikos) + chord (from Latin chorda, string). This is a learned coinage combining Greek and Latin roots to describe an instrument optimized for harmonic resonance.
The harmonichord was a forgotten cousin of the piano and harpsichord—it had extra strings that vibrated sympathetically with played notes, creating ethereal, shimmering sounds that composers in the 1700s found almost magical.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.