Skip to main content
kora

kora

8.7
A West African string instrument like a harp played by plucking
  • noun
translation icon : 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.