Word
lyre
US/ˈɫaɪɹ/
UK/lˈaɪə/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small stringed instrument shaped like a U, with strings you pluck with your fingers. People in ancient Greece played it to accompany songs and poems.
n. a small U-shaped stringed instrument with strings stretched across a wooden frame, played by plucking. Closely associated with ancient Greek and Roman music, poetry, and myth.
Examples
“She learns to play the lyre in music class.”
“The museum displays an ancient lyre with tortoise-shell body and strings restored for visitors.”
“Carved on the marble frieze, Apollo holds a lyre whose curved arms seem to echo the harmony celebrated in classical verse.”
Examples
simple
“She learns to play the lyre in music class.”
contextual
“The museum displays an ancient lyre with tortoise-shell body and strings restored for visitors.”
complex
“Carved on the marble frieze, Apollo holds a lyre whose curved arms seem to echo the harmony celebrated in classical verse.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “lyre” in context.
Verb
01. lyre accompanies
“In ancient tragedy, the lyre accompanies the choral odes and laments.”
noun + verb
02. lyre resonates
“The lyre resonates clearly across the quiet stone amphitheatre.”
noun + verb
03. lyre sounds
“The lyre sounds sweet and plaintive in the opening passage of the ode.”
noun + verb
04. play lyre
“In the epic, the bard would play lyre to entertain the assembled warriors.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. ancient lyre
“The museum displays an ancient lyre reconstructed from fragments found in Greece.”
adj + noun
06. classical lyre
“Students of antiquity studied poetry and the classical lyre together.”
adj + noun
07. golden lyre
“Apollo is often depicted holding a golden lyre in classical sculpture.”
adj + noun
08. greek lyre
“Sappho recited her poems to the accompaniment of a Greek lyre.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. music of lyre
“Myth describes Orpheus charming wild beasts with the music of lyre.”
noun + prep + noun
10. player of lyre
“The skilled player of lyre was honoured at the Athenian festival.”
noun + prep + noun
11. accompany himself on the lyre
“The poet would accompany himself on the lyre while reciting verses.”
12. play on the lyre
“The bard played a mournful air on the lyre for the fallen hero.”
Etymology
From Ancient Greek λύρᾱ (lúrā, “lyre, a stringed instrument with a sounding-board formed of the shell of a tortoise”). Doublet of lira, Lyra, and lyra.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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