spinet

spinet
/spin"it/, n.
1. a small upright piano.
2. a small, square piano.
3. any of various small harpsichords.
4. Also called spinet organ. a small electric organ.
[1655-65; aph. var. of obs. espinette < F < It spinetta, prob. equiv. to spin(a) thorn (see SPINE) + -etta dim. suffix; the existence of an instrument-maker named Spinetti is unverified]

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      small form of the harpsichord, generally wing-shaped, with a single set of strings placed at an oblique angle to the keyboard. The wing-shaped spinet may have originated in Italy during the 16th century; later it became known in France and England.

      Spinets were popular substitutes for the larger, more expensive harpsichords and were made in large numbers during the late 17th and 18th centuries, especially in England. Their cases were often highly ornamented and decorated. The name spinet may derive from the Latin spinae (“thorns”), perhaps reflecting the shape of the tiny quills or leather wedges that pluck the strings. In modern usage, “spinet” commonly refers to a short form of upright piano.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • spinet — SPINÉT, spineturi, s.n. (reg.) Spinărie. – Spin1 + suf. et. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  SPINÉT s. v. mărăcini, mărăciniş, spinărie. Trimis de siveco, 13.09.2007. Sursa: Sinonime  spinét s. n …   Dicționar Român

  • Spinet — Spin et, n. [OF. espinete, F. [ e]pinette (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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spìnet — (špìnet razg.) m (spìneta ž) glazb. pov. instrument s tipkama građen na istom principu kao čembalo, upotrebljava se od kraja 15. st.; preteča klavira [»Prstići djevojke maleni šeću po starom ∼u.« D. Domjanić] ✧ {{001f}}njem. ← tal …   Veliki rječnik hrvatskoga jezika

  • špinet — špìnet m DEFINICIJA razg., v. spinet …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • spinet — spìnet (špìnet razg.) m (spìneta ž) DEFINICIJA glazb. pov. instrument s tipkama građen na istom principu kao čembalo, upotrebljava se od kraja 15. st.; preteča klavira ETIMOLOGIJA njem. ← tal …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • spinet — ► NOUN 1) a small harpsichord with the strings set obliquely to the keyboard, popular in the 18th century. 2) US a type of small upright piano. ORIGIN Italian spinetta virginal, spinet , from Latin spina thorn, spine, quill (the strings of the… …   English terms dictionary

  • Spinet — Spi net, n. [L. spinetum. See {Spinny}.] A spinny. [Obs.] B. Jonson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spinet — Spinet, eine alte Art Clavier, bei welchem die Saiten von Federspitzen geschlagen wurden …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • spinet — англ. [спинэ/т] Spinett нем. [спинэ/т] spinetta ит. [спинэ/тта] спинет (старин. клавишный инструм.) …   Словарь иностранных музыкальных терминов

  • spinet — (n.) 1660s, spinette, small harpsichord, from older Fr. espinette (1520s), from It. spinetta, said by Scaliger to be a diminutive of spina thorn, spine, from L. spina thorn (see SPINE (Cf. spine)), so called because the strings were plucked with… …   Etymology dictionary

  • spinet — [spin′it, spi net′] n. [MFr espinete < It spinetta, said to be after its alleged inventor, G. Spinetti, but prob. < spina, thorn (< L, SPINE): so named from the pointed quills used to strike the strings] 1. an early, small variety of… …   English World dictionary

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