Lyre

līr, n. a musical instrument like the harp, anciently used as an accompaniment to poetry.— n. Ly′ra , one of the northern constellations.— adjs. Ly′rate , -d ( bot. ), lyre-shaped.— ns. Lyre′bird , an Australian bird about the size of a pheasant, having the 16 tail-feathers of the male arranged in the form of a lyre; Lyric (lir′-), a lyric poem: ( obs. ) a composer of lyric poetry.— adjs. Lyric , -al (lir′-), pertaining to the lyre: fitted to be sung to the lyre: written in stanzas: said of poetry which expre es the individual emotions of the poet: that composes lyrics.— ns. Lyricism (lir′-), a lyrical expre ion or composition; Lyr′ism , the art of playing on the lyre; Lyr′ist , a player on the lyre or harp. [Fr.,—L. lyra —Gr.]