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sis·trum

(sĭstrəm)

n. pl. sis·trums or sis·tra (-trə)

A percussion instrument of ancient Egypt, Sumeria, and Rome consisting of metal rods or loops attached to a metal frame.

[Middle English, from Latin sīstrum, from Greek seistron, from seiein, to shake.]

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sistrum

Egyptian bronze sistrum

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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