Standard Lemma guide

sistrum

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈsɪstɹəm/
  • /ˈsɪstɹʊm/
  • rhymes with -ɪstɹəm

1

noun

Meaning 1

An ancient Egyptian musical instrument, to be shaken, consisting of a metal frame holding percussive metal beads.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: سيستروم — instrument
  • Catalan: sistre — instrument
  • Chinese Mandarin: 叉鈴 /叉铃 (chālíng) — instrument
  • Chinese Mandarin: 西斯鈴 /西斯铃 (xīsīlíng) — instrument
  • Czech: sistrum — instrument
  • Dutch: sistrum — instrument
  • Egyptian: z:S:S-t-Y8 (zššt) — instrument
  • Egyptian: Y8 (sḫm) — instrument
  • French: sistre — instrument
  • German: Sistrum — instrument
  • Ancient Greek: σεῖστρον (seîstron) — instrument
  • Italian: sistro — instrument
  • Latin: sistrum — instrument
  • Polish: sistrum — instrument
  • Russian: систр (sistr) — instrument
  • Spanish: sistro — instrument