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Webster 1913 Edition

Spinet

Spin′et

,
Noun.
[OF.
espinete
, F.
épinette
(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 steel wire to each note, sounded by means of leather or quill plectrums or jacks. It was formerly much used.
Dumb spinet
.
(Mus.)
See
Manichordon
.

Spi′net

,
Noun.
[L.
spinetum
. See
Spinny
.]
A spinny.
[Obs.]
B. Jonson.

Webster 1828 Edition

Spinet

SPIN'ET

,
Noun.
An instrument of music resembling a harpsichord, but smaller; a virginal; a clavichord.

SPIN'ET

,
Noun.
[L. spinetum.] A small wood or place where briars and thorns grow. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024

spinet

spinet

English

A French-made spinet.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈspɪn.ɪt/, /spɪˈnɛt/
  • Rhymes: -ɛt, -ɪnɪt
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈspɪn.ɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ɪnɪt

Noun

spinet ‎(plural spinets)

  1. (music) A short, compact harpsichord or piano.
    • 1956, Delano Ames, chapter 14, in Crime out of Mind:
      He gazed around until on the lid of a spinet he spotted a promising collection of bottles, gin, whiskey, vermouth and sherry, mixed with violin bows, a flute, a toppling pile of books, six volumes of Grove's Dictionary mingled with paperback thrillers, a guitar without any strings, a pair of binoculars, a meerschaum pipe and a jar half-full of wasps and apricot jam.
Translations

See also

Etymology 2

Latin spinetum.

Noun

spinet ‎(plural spinets)

  1. (obsolete) A spinney.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)

Anagrams

Czech

Noun

spinet m

  1. (music) spinet

See also

Etymology

From Italian spinetta.

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