sistrum

English

A Roman sistrum

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin sīstrum, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek σεῖστρον (seîstron), from σείω (seíō, “shake”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsɪstɹəm/

Noun

sistrum (plural sistrums or sistra)

  1. An ancient Egyptian musical instrument, to be shaken, consisting of a metal frame holding percussive metal beads.
    • 1983, Norman Mailer, Ancient Evenings:
      She moved with slow undulations of her body as lascivious as the curve of Hathfertiti’s hair, and the sistrum with its singing wires was played by a dwarf wearing nothing but a gold purse and a few bracelets on his stunted biceps.

Translations

See also

Anagrams

Latin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek σεῖστρον (seîstron), from σείω (seíō, “shake”).

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈsiːs.trum/, [ˈsiːs.trũ]

Noun

sīstrum n (genitive sīstrī); second declension

  1. sistrum

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative sīstrum sīstra
genitive sīstrī sīstrōrum
dative sīstrō sīstrīs
accusative sīstrum sīstra
ablative sīstrō sīstrīs
vocative sīstrum sīstra

Descendants

Further reading

  • sistrum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • sistrum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • sistrum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
  • sistrum in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • sistrum in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
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