mbira
1
9.9
- noun
- /əmˈbɪrə/
- He crafted his own mbira from wood and metal, creating beautiful music for his community.
Examples
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The musician skillfully played the mbira, captivating the audience with its unique sound.
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[Mbira instrument resonates]
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3. Show pictures of mbiras and discuss the construction of the instrument.
Academic text (2011) -
A unit on Zimbabwean music may include a focus on the mbira, whose music can easily be arranged for xylophones.
Academic text (2009) -
Take, for example, the so-called thumb pianos: the mbira, the kalimba, the sansi.
Academic text (1999) -
In our music class, we learned about the mbira, an African instrument with metal keys that you pluck.
Synonyms
1
8.8
A small African instrument with metal keys that you pluck to make music
How Portable
Surface Forms
Etymology
Mbira comes from the Shona language of Zimbabwe and names a small 'thumb piano' with metal keys that you pluck with your thumbs and fingers. So mbira still means the African instrument you play by plucking metal keys.