Skip to main content
kora

kora

8.7
A West African string instrument like a harp played by plucking
  • noun
: kora
  • The musician skillfully played the kora, mesmerizing the audience with its beautiful melodies.
  • kora virtuoso Toumani Diabate

Examples

  • The final activity was a field trip to a local theater to experience a performance by a storyteller who sang and played the kora and djembe.

    Academic text (2010)
  • As she strummed the kora, the gentle sounds filled the room, creating a serene atmosphere.

  • Polyrhythmic drums and koras.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Among the larger items are a leather saddle and horse trappings, and a kora, the great harp of the praise-singers (jelis) of West Africa.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Flash cards for parents and students to use in testing each other on the following terms: Mali, Sundiata, traditional African music, djembe, balafon, kora, griot, Diabate, Kamissoko, and Kouyate.

    Academic text (2010)
  • During the festival, traditional songs were performed on the kora, showcasing the rich culture of West Africa.

How Complex

harp
37 1.9
kora
8.7
guitar
∞ 1.0
drum
275 1.0

Surface Forms

kora singular
koras plural

Etymology

Kora is a word from West Africa that names a 21-string instrument much like a harp; think of it as a wooden 'harp' you pluck to make soft, flowing music.