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hur·dy-gur·dy

(hûr′de-gûrde, hûrde-gûr′de)

n.pl. hur·dy-gur·dies

1. A stringed instrument played by turning a rosined wheel with a crank and depressing keys connected to tangents on the strings.

2. An instrument, such as a barrel organ, played by turning a crank.

[Imitative.]

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hurdy-gurdy

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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