balalaika
/ˌbaləˈlʌɪkə
/noun
A Russian musical instrument like a guitar with a triangular body and typically three strings.All the chorus writing, including some clarinet-led boat music in which strings imitate a balalaika, a wedding song that yields to anguish, some vigorous, aggressive Polish bravado, and the noble imperial finale, is dramatic and vivid....
- You can hear every pure delightful twang and warble of every guitar, gadulka, balalaika and harp and in a couple of tracks a clarinet cuts the melody with a compelling slice of romance.
- Now he straightened his embroidered jerkin and fluffed his lace cuffs with a fastidious air, and the strings of the balalaika on his back sang gently as he shrugged.
Origin
Late 18th century: from Russian, of Tatar origin.
Rhymes
- phonemically
- phonemicise
- phonemicist
- phonemicity
- phonemicization
- phonemicize
- phonemics
- phonemization
- phonendoscope
- phone number
- phone operator
- phone patch
- phone phreak
- phone phreaker
- phone phreaking
- phoner
- phoner-in
- phone sex
- phonesis
- phone soliciting
- phone solicitor
- phonesthematic
- phonestheme
- phonesthemic
- phonesthesia