Noun

Singular guitar

Plural guitars

guitar (plural guitars)

1. A stringed musical instrument, usually with fretted fingerboard and 6 strings, played with the fingers or a plectrum (guitar pick).

Synonyms

• axe (slang)
• gat (New Zealand slang)

Derived terms

• guitarist
• electric guitar
• acoustic guitar
• bass guitar
• guitarfish
• lead guitar
• 3rd bridge guitar
• harpguitar

Verb

Infinitive to guitar

Third person singular guitars

Simple past guitared

Past participle guitared

Present participle guitaring

to guitar (third-person singular simple present guitars, present participle guitaring, simple past and past participle guitared)

1. (rare) To play the guitar.

The guitar is a musical instrument of that typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, nine-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The two primary families of guitar types are the electric guitars and the acoustic guitars. Three main types of acoustic guitars are the classical guitar, the steel-string flattop guitar, and the archtop guitar).

Guitars are recognized as one of the primary instruments in flamenco, jazz, blues, country, mariachi, rock music, and many forms of pop. They can also be a solo classical instrument. Guitars may be played acoustically; the tone is produced by the vibration of the strings which is amplified by the body of the guitar which acts as a large hollow resonating chamber, or they may rely on an amplifier that can electronically manipulate tone. Such electric guitars were introduced in the 1930s, and they have continued to have a profound influence on popular culture since then.

Traditionally guitars have been constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut, or more recently, with either nylon or steel strings. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers.