βάρβιτον

A. musical instrument of many strings (πολύχορδος Theoc. 16.45), invented by Terpander, Pi. Fr. 125; freq. used for the lyre, Anacr. 143, B. Scol.Oxy. 1361.1.1, E. Cyc. 40, Ar. Th. 137, etc.: fem. in Anacreont. 23.3, but masc. in 14.34: in earlier Poets the gender is not determined:—later βάρβιτον, τό, as in Latin, Neanth. 5, D.H. 7.72, Ath. 4.175e, etc. (Prob. a foreign word, Str. 10.3.17.)