cittern Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a 16th century musical instrument resembling a guitar with a pear-shaped soundbox and wire strings
    cithern; citole; gittern; cither.

WordNet

Cit"tern noun
Etymology
L.cithara, Gr. . Cf. Cithara, Gittern.
Definitions
  1. (Mus.) An instrument shaped like a lute, but strung with wire and played with a quill or plectrum. Written also cithern. Shak. ✍ Not to be confounded with zither.

Webster 1913