sitar

noun

si·​tar si-ˈtär How to pronounce sitar (audio)
ˈsi-ˌtär
: an Indian lute with a long neck and a varying number of strings
sitarist
si-ˈtär-ist How to pronounce sitar (audio)
ˈsi-ˌtär-
noun

Illustration of sitar

Illustration of sitar

Examples of sitar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Maguire and Strayer are felt as loudly as Maines across the record, through their gorgeous harmonies, but also fiddle and banjo and, sometimes, sitar and accordion. — Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026 George traveled to India to study the sitar at the feet of his new guru, Ravi Shankar. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026 The sun was still out, people were gradually filing in and the opening act, Anoushka Shankar, a sitar player, was unexpectedly great. — David Allen, Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 Unmistakable jazz music, with, on certain albums, surprising flourishes of oud, sitar, tamboura, and—by far the most distinctive element—her own harp playing. — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sitar

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu sitār, from Persian, a three-stringed lute, from sih three + tār string, thread

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sitar was in 1828

Rhymes for sitar

See All Rhymes for sitar

Browse Nearby Words

sitao
sitar
sit around
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sitar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sitar. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sitar

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sitar

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