spinet

spinet
spinet (n.) 1660s, spinette, "small harpsichord," from older Fr. espinette (1520s), from It. spinetta, said by Scaliger to be a diminutive of spina "thorn, spine," from L. spina "thorn" (see SPINE (Cf. spine)), so called because the strings were plucked with thorn-like quills. The other theory (favored by OED) dates to early 17c. and claims the word is from the name of the Venetian inventor, Giovanni Spinetti (fl. c.1503).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • spinet — SPINÉT, spineturi, s.n. (reg.) Spinărie. – Spin1 + suf. et. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  SPINÉT s. v. mărăcini, mărăciniş, spinărie. Trimis de siveco, 13.09.2007. Sursa: Sinonime  spinét s. n …   Dicționar Român

  • Spinet — Spin et, n. [OF. espinete, F. [ e]pinette (cf. It. spinetta), fr. L. spina a thorn; so called because its quills resemble thorns. See {Spine}.] (Mus.) A keyed instrument of music resembling a harpsichord, but smaller, with one string of brass or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spìnet — (špìnet razg.) m (spìneta ž) glazb. pov. instrument s tipkama građen na istom principu kao čembalo, upotrebljava se od kraja 15. st.; preteča klavira [»Prstići djevojke maleni šeću po starom ∼u.« D. Domjanić] ✧ {{001f}}njem. ← tal …   Veliki rječnik hrvatskoga jezika

  • špinet — špìnet m DEFINICIJA razg., v. spinet …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • spinet — spìnet (špìnet razg.) m (spìneta ž) DEFINICIJA glazb. pov. instrument s tipkama građen na istom principu kao čembalo, upotrebljava se od kraja 15. st.; preteča klavira ETIMOLOGIJA njem. ← tal …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • spinet — ► NOUN 1) a small harpsichord with the strings set obliquely to the keyboard, popular in the 18th century. 2) US a type of small upright piano. ORIGIN Italian spinetta virginal, spinet , from Latin spina thorn, spine, quill (the strings of the… …   English terms dictionary

  • Spinet — Spi net, n. [L. spinetum. See {Spinny}.] A spinny. [Obs.] B. Jonson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spinet — Spinet, eine alte Art Clavier, bei welchem die Saiten von Federspitzen geschlagen wurden …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • spinet — англ. [спинэ/т] Spinett нем. [спинэ/т] spinetta ит. [спинэ/тта] спинет (старин. клавишный инструм.) …   Словарь иностранных музыкальных терминов

  • spinet — [spin′it, spi net′] n. [MFr espinete < It spinetta, said to be after its alleged inventor, G. Spinetti, but prob. < spina, thorn (< L, SPINE): so named from the pointed quills used to strike the strings] 1. an early, small variety of… …   English World dictionary

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