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Glite Dictionary
Hawaiian guitar

Hawaiian guitar

1 5.8
A guitar with steel strings that you play using a metal bar to make smooth sliding notes
  • noun
  • /həˈwaɪən ɡɪˈtɑr/
translation icon : guitarra hawaiana
  • He plays the Hawaiian guitar beautifully.

Examples

  • The sound of the Hawaiian guitar added a smooth, sliding melody to the song.

  • I want to learn to play the Hawaiian guitar.

  • He learned to play the Hawaiian guitar during his vacation in Honolulu.

  • Many classic surf tunes feature the unique tones of a Hawaiian guitar.

  • While listening to the soothing melodies, she strummed her Hawaiian guitar gently on the beach.

  • He played a beautiful tune on his Hawaiian guitar, creating a relaxing atmosphere for everyone around.

  • The musicians featured traditional songs accompanied by a lively Hawaiian guitar during the festival.

Synonyms

guitar
vsHawaiian guitar
∞ 1.0

A musical instrument with six strings that you play by strumming or plucking

is played using steel strings and a movable bar to make sliding tones
steel guitar
vsHawaiian guitar
3 4.9

A musical instrument with metal strings played by sliding a steel bar to make a smooth singing sound

is played by twanging strings while pressing them with a movable bar

Surface Forms

Hawaiian guitar singular
Hawaiian guitars plural

Morphology

Hawaiian + guitar

The compound 'Hawaiian guitar' is compositionally transparent: 'Hawaiian' specifies origin or style and 'guitar' names the instrument, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a guitar associated with Hawaii. Although the exact playing technique (steel strings and slide/glissando) is specialized and not predictable from the words alone, the basic referent—a Hawaii-style guitar—is immediately understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Hawaiian guitar comes from players in Hawaii who put a guitar across their lap and used a steel bar to slide along the strings, making a long, smooth 'sliding' sound. So a Hawaiian guitar today means a guitar with steel strings played in that way.