begena

beg·e·na
B3E1G2E1N1A1
US, UK/ˈbɛɡənə/US, UK/ˈbɜː-/

noun

A type of lyre of Ethiopian and Eritrean origin with a rectangular soundbox and ten strings, which is played with a plectrum.

Similar
harp of DavidKing David's harpkinnor
OriginAmharic በገና →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounbegena (plural begenas)

plural begenas · alternative beganna · alternative beguena · alternative bèguèna

  1. A type of lyre of Ethiopian and Eritrean origin with a rectangular soundbox and ten strings, which is played with a plectrum.

    Synonyms: harp of David, King David's harp, kinnor

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA type of lyre of Ethiopian and Eritrean origin with a rectangular soundbox and ten strings, which is played with a plectrum.

Similar
harp of DavidKing David's harpkinnor
Also see
harp of davidking david's harpkinnor

Origin

  1. Amharicበገና
  2. Englishbegena

Borrowed from Amharic በገና (bägäna).

More words from Amharic

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

begena. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/begena

MLA

“begena.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/begena. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “begena,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/begena.

Source: begena on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.