Spanish word

laúd

Pronunciation

IPA/laˈuð/

Meaning

  • masculine nounlute

Example

¿Puedes tocar el laúd?

Can you play the lute?

Illustration for laúd (lute)

More examples

En el festival escuché un laúd renacentista.

At the festival I heard a Renaissance lute.

Core concept

Bowl-backed, short-necked plucked string instrument central to Renaissance and Baroque music.

Common phrases

  • tocar el laúd

    play the lute

  • clase de laúd

    lute lesson

Similar words

guitarra: Flat-bodied fretted instrument for strumming and accompanying songs with chords.
ukelele: Tiny four-string plucked instrument producing a bright, breezy tone for informal playing.

Definition in Spanish

Instrumento de cuerda pulsada, de origen medieval, con caja armoniosa y mástil corto, utilizado para melodía y acompañamiento en repertorios renacentistas y barrocos.

Word origin

From Arabic al-ʿūd, adopted into medieval Iberian Romance and later reflected in Spanish laúd and English lute.

Usage tips

  • Laúd is mainly an early-music term in Spanish, so speakers often add the period (Renaissance or Baroque) or contrast it with guitarra to avoid confusion.

Related words

  • laudistalutenistnoun

Word lists with this word