Adjacent Words

rebec definitions

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Merriam Webster's

or rebeck noun Etymology: Middle English rebecke, from Middle French rebec, alteration of Old French rebebe, from Old Occitan rebeb, from Arabic rab?b Date: 15th century an ancient bowed usually 3-stringed musical instrument with a pear-shaped body and slender neck

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (also rebeck) Mus. a medieval usu. three-stringed instrument played with a bow. Etymology: F rebec var. of OF rebebe rubebe f. Arab. rabab

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rebec Re"bec, n. [F., fr. It. ribeca, ribeba, fr. Ar. rab[=a]b a musical instrument of a round form.] 1. (Mus.) An instrument formerly used which somewhat resembled the violin, having three strings, and being played with a bow. [Written also rebeck.] --Milton. He turn'd his rebec to a mournful note. --Drayton. 2. A contemptuous term applied to an old woman. [Obs.] --Chaucer.