Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A Russian musical instrument with a triangular body and three strings that produces sounds similar to those of a mandolin.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A musical instrument of very ancient Slavic origin, common among the Russians and Tatars, and, according to Niebuhr, also in Egypt and Arabia. It is of the guitar kind, and has two, three, or four strings, giving a minor chord. (Mendel.) It is now most used by the gipsies of eastern Europe.
Wiktionary
- n. A Russian musical instrument, similar to a guitar, with a triangular body.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. a stringed instrument of Russian origin that has a triangular body and three strings.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a stringed instrument that has a triangular body and three strings
Etymologies
- Russian balalaĭka, of Turkic origin.
Examples
“They also had a trumpet/coronet player, a tuba player, and a dude who alternated among an oboe, drums, and what I think was an amplified balalaika.”
“Ah yes, a gypsy princess in disguise who yearns for the sound of the balalaika and prays for the return of Prince Vlad of Wallachia.”
“Super Mario theme played on a balalaika - Boing Boing”
“A trio of Russian folk musicians played guitar, mandolin, and the balalaika contra bass.”
“As the light streams through the windows of the minivan and reflects off Joni's earrings, Joel remembers the way the late-afternoon sun used to glint on the river as he made his way back from class to his off-campus apartment…the way his heart used to pound whenever he caught a glimpse of his downstairs neighbor, a balalaika player named Clarisse.”
“Skating to classic Russian balalaika music when I was thirteen, I had demanded a full Cossack costume with big, billowing pants, boots, and a little vest.”
“These members formed three music organizations: a Russian balalaika orchestra (fifteen pieces); a”
“The balalaika orchestra furnished music for most events.”
“The welfare committee visited the hospital barracks every Sunday afternoon and gave short musical performances, either with the gramophone or the balalaika orchestra.”
“He jumps on the table, strums a balalaika and gets a roomful of respected physicians to sing a dirty limerick with him, horrifying the professor.”
Lists
‘balalaika’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
Comments
No comments yet...
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.