Mon’ochord

(Fr. monocorde; It. monocor’do.) 1. A very ancient instr, for the precise mathematical determination of the intervals, consisting of a single string stretched over a soundboard and provided with a bridge sliding on a graduated scale, by means of which any desired division of the string could MORDENT. 135 be isolated, and intervals of true pitch obtained.—An instr. of the same name, but furnished with several strings for the purpose of obtaining harmonic effects, was the precursor of the clavi- * chord.—2, The tromba marina,—3. A clavichord.—4. (Ger., recent.) A kind of bow-zither, having one string stretched over a fretted fingerboard attached lengthwise to the top of an oblong resonance-box,