lyre
noun
\ ˈlī(-ə)r
\
\
Definition of lyre
1
: a stringed instrument of the harp class having an approximately U-shaped frame and used by the ancient Greeks especially to accompany song and recitation (see recitation sense 2)
2
: a small clip typically resembling a lyre that is use for holding sheet music and attaches to a musical instrument (such as a trombone)
Illustration of lyre
lyre 1
Examples of lyre in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Apollo is holding a lyre and Venus is naked, painting on a canvas. — Mercedes Leguizamon And Brandon Griggs, CNN, "A forgotten painting in an Iowa closet turns out to be a 16th-century masterwork worth millions," 2 Apr. 2018 Tiny samples yield big results One of the most captivating finds in the Prittlewell burial was the remains of a lyre - the first complete Anglo-Saxon example that's ever been found. — Roff Smith, National Geographic, "New research questions famed burial of ‘first’ Christian Anglo-Saxon king," 8 May 2019 CT scans and micro-excavation revealed the complete outline of the lyre in detail. — Roff Smith, National Geographic, "New research questions famed burial of ‘first’ Christian Anglo-Saxon king," 8 May 2019 Beside them were the remains of a musician who held a stunning lyre. — National Geographic, "The royal tombs of Ur revealed Mesopotamia's golden splendor," 22 May 2019 This collection features eight killer tracks from the 70s and 80s, with Hassan accompanying his own soulful singing on amplified tambour-a five-string lyre-over percolating Daleeb rhythms from northern Sudan. — Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader, "Drummer and composer Bill Harris on a Chicago iconoclast who can make an album feel like an epic film," 13 June 2018 In the painting, Apollo is holding a lyre while Venus, the goddess of love, is portrayed as an artist painting a landscape, her fleshy backside exposed. — Laura M. Holson, New York Times, "A Lost Painting Is Rediscovered. Have You Checked Your Closets Lately?," 5 Apr. 2018 Apollo is holding a lyre and Venus is naked, painting on a canvas. — Mercedes Leguizamon And Brandon Griggs, CNN, "A forgotten painting in an Iowa closet turns out to be a 16th-century masterwork worth millions," 2 Apr. 2018 Having profitably played his lyre in Weinstein’s court for a quarter of a century, the director Quentin Tarantino kept his counsel for a couple of weeks before confirming that, yes, this really is how things are done. — Kyle Smith, National Review, "This Hollywood Scandal Is Different," 24 Oct. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lyre.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for lyre
lyre
noun
English Language Learners Definition of lyre
: a musical instrument with strings that was used especially in ancient Greece
See the full definition for lyre in the English Language Learners Dictionary
lyre
noun
\ ˈlīr
\
\
Kids Definition of lyre
: a stringed musical instrument like a harp used by the ancient Greeks
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