Definition

Noun: 1. A stringed musical instrument of India: A sitar is a plucked string instrument characterized by a long, hollow neck made from a gourd or wood, movable frets, and a distinctive resonant sound. It typically has 6 or 7 main playing strings and a larger number (often 13 or more) of sympathetic strings that vibrate in resonance underneath the frets.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The sound of the sitar is central to Indian classical music.
  • She has been learning to play the sitar for five years.
  • The musician carefully tuned the many strings of his sitar before the performance.

Advanced Usage

• "To play the sitar": This is the standard phrase for performing music on this instrument.
  • Ravi Shankar was renowned for his virtuosity in playing the sitar.

Variants and Related Words

• Sitarist (noun): A person who plays the sitar.
  • The concert featured a famous sitarist from Kolkata.

Synonyms

• String instrument: (a broader category that includes the sitar, along with violins, guitars, etc.)
• Lute: (a general term for a family of stringed instruments with a neck and a deep round back, which the sitar resembles in some aspects.)

Related Idioms and Phrases

(There are no common English idioms or phrasal verbs that specifically feature the word "sitar," as it is a highly specific noun for a musical instrument.)

Noun

1. a stringed instrument of India; has a long neck and movable frets; has 6 or 7 metal strings for playing and usually 13 resonating strings