CultureAugust 22, 2026
autoharp
AW-toh-harp
Definition
A stringed musical instrument with a series of chord bars attached to keys that, when pressed, dampen all strings except those that form the desired chord.
Etymology
The word is a portmanteau derived from the Greek 'autos' (self) and the word 'harp,' coined when the instrument was patented in the late 19th century because the mechanism plays chords automatically.
In the news
The autoharp is explicitly listed as one of the instruments being played by cast member Susan McNabb and musician Martha Hawk in the musical production of The Mockingbird Sings.
Theatre Bristol Presents "The Mockingbird Sings" next month
Read the full article ↗The Rogersville Review