zither Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a musical stringed instrument with strings stretched over a flat sounding board; it is laid flat and played with a plectrum and with fingers
    zithern; cither.

WordNet

Zith"er noun
Etymology
G. zither. See Cittern.
Definitions
  1. (Mus.) An instrument of music used in Austria and Germany. It has from thirty to forty wires strung across a shallow sounding-board, which lies horizontally on a table before the performer, who uses both hands in playing on it. Not to be confounded with the old lute-shaped cittern, or cithern.

Webster 1913