gittern UK /ˈɡɪtən/US /ˈɡɪtəɹn/noun 1verb 1forms 3 noun1 •A small, quill-plucked, gut-strung musical instrument, most commonly with three to four strings in doubles courses; it is a flat-backed predecessor of the guitar, and it originated around the 13th century, coming to Europe via Moorish Spain.Now they can no more hear thy ghittern’s tune, / For venturing syllables that ill beseem / The quiet glooms of such a piteous theme. — 1820 verb1 •To play on the gittern.… [E]ach evening every one with mistress, or Ganymede, glitterning along the streets, or solacing on the banks of Jordan, or down the stream. — 1639 formsgitterned · gitterning · gitterns
