harpsichord: [17] Harpsichord means literally ‘harp-string’. Harp [OE] is a Germanic word. It comes from a prehistoric West and North Germanic *kharpōn, which also produced German harfe, Dutch harp, and Swedish harpa, and was borrowed into the Romance languages via late Latin harpa (its Italian descendant, arpa, gave English arpeggio [18]). When the harpsichord was developed in the late 16th century, it was named in Italian arpicordo, a compound formed with corda ‘string’. English acquired the term via the now obsolete French harpechorde, for some unknown reason inserting an s in the process. => arpeggio, harp
harpsichord (n.)
1610s, from French harpechorde "harp string," from Modern Latin harpichordium (source also of Italian arpicordo), from harpa (see harp (n.)) + chorda "string" (see cord). The unexplained intrusive -s- in the English word is there by 1660s.
实用例句
1. the plangent sound of the harpsichord
拨弦键琴如泣如诉的声音
来自《权威词典》
2. I can tune the harpsichord as well as play it.
我会弹奏大键琴,同样地,我也会给大键琴调音.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. After playing a little on the harpsichord, he asked for a theme.
