κιθάρα Ancient Greek · revision 15574

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=6th century BC, Theognis|origins=qfa-sub-grc}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /ki.tʰá.raː/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ciˈθa.ra/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ciˈθa.ra/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''κῐθᾰ́ρᾱ''' (kithárā) ''f'' (genitive κῐθᾰ́ρᾱς); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Beekes considers it Pre-Greek, [[der|qfa-sub-grc|-]], because of the suffix -αρ-; earlier Indo-European and Semitic explanations are incorrect.^(Beekes 2010)^(Beekes 2014) Scarborough's database rates this very reliable.^(PHILOGLOSSA) Frisk calls it a loanword from an unknown source, and the Πάπυρος dictionary suggests an eastern origin.^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος) Wiktionary mentions a possible link with [[m|qfa-hur-pro|*kinnar|t=lyre, harp]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The older form is [[m|grc|κίθαρις|tr=kítharis]], already Homeric.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The form [[κίθαρις|tr=kítharis]] is Homeric.^(Beekes 2010) Κιθάρα itself is first recorded in Theognis (6th century BC), for lyre-music.^(GLAUx)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Herodotus, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle and Plutarch use it for the kithara, the box-lyre, which had more strings and a louder sound than the archaic round-based lyre, and by metonymy for its music.^(CGL 2021) Its compound [[κιθαρῳδός|tr=kitharōidós]] was the singer who accompanied himself on it, and the verb [[κιθαρίζω|tr=kitharízō]] meant to play it.^(Beekes 2010) By its shape it also named the chest, a flatfish, and in the plural the ribs of a horse.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|cithara]], and Aramaic and Arabic took it as well.^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) Medieval Greek borrowed the Venetian form ''chitara''.^(Kriaras) Modern Greek ''κιθάρα'' “guitar” is a learned form whose meaning follows Italian ''chitarra'', which came from Latin through Arabic.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' has the form κίθαρις.^(Beekes 2010)

+ * 6th century BC – Theognis uses κιθάρα.^(GLAUx)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus and Euripides use it for the box-lyre.^(CGL 2021)^(PHILOGLOSSA)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle uses it.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * Modern Greek – ''κιθάρα'' means guitar.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|kithara]], a box-lyre.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lyre-playing, lyre music.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural)'' The ribs of a horse.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|cithara]]

+ * [[en|guitar]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}