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| n. 1. A narrow, often hourglass-shaped stringed instrument having three or four strings and a fretted fingerboard, typically held flat across the knees while sitting and played by plucking or strumming. Also called Appalachian dulcimer, mountain dulcimer. 2. The hammered dulcimer. [Alteration (influenced by Latin dulcis, sweet) of Middle English doucemer, from Old French doulcemer, variant of doulcemelle, from Medieval Latin dulce melos : Latin dulce, neuter of dulcis, sweet + Latin melos, song (from Greek; see MELISMA).]  (click for a larger image) dulcimerAppalachian-style dulcimer |
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