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Definition of "harp" []

  • Music An instrument having an upright triangular frame consisting of a pillar, a curved neck, and a hollow back containing the sounding board, with usually 46 or 47 strings of graded lengths that are played by plucking with the fingers. (noun)
  • Music Any of various ancient and modern instruments of similar construction. (noun)
  • Informal Music A harmonica. (noun)
  • Something, such as a pair of vertical supports for a lampshade, that resembles a harp. (noun)
  • To play a harp. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "harp" in a sentence
  • "So, perhaps a harp is the best instrument for a bone musician."
  • "Do you have any idea how complicated the harp is to play?"
  • "The harp is like the unicorn of musical instruments."