Meanings
plural psalters · alternative obsolete sauter
- ChristianitySynonym of Psalms, particularly when printed as a separate work from the Bible.
Synonyms: Psalms, particularly when printed as a separate work from the Bible
- CatholicismSynonym of breviary, which arranges the Psalms for devotional recitation.
Synonyms: breviary, which arranges the Psalms for devotional recitation
- AnglicanismSynonym of Book of Common Prayer, which prominently includes the Psalms.
Synonyms: Book of Common Prayer, which prominently includes the Psalms
- alternativearchaicobsoleteAlternative form of psaltery, a kind of zither as well as the King James translation of certain obscure musical terms in the Old Testament.
Confesse ye to our Lord on the harpe: on a psalter of ten strings sing to him.
1635, John Cousturier, The second tome of the Holie Bible, Psalm 32:2, page 662 more examples
Perhaps the viol d'amour underwent several modifications, as its name was changed to psalter in the belief of its being the ancient instrument so denominated, which is quite different, according to most authorities — not belonging to the fidicinal tribe.
1849, Sir John Graham Dalyell, Musical Memoirs of Scotland, T. Constable, page 206Some have supposed that the psalter was not in fact an instrument, but that the term was applied merely to harmony produced by the voice in conjunction with instruments.
1875, Edward H. Knight, Knight's American Mechanical Dictionary, J. B. Ford and Company, page 1499
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of Psalms, particularly when printed as a separate work from the Bible.
nounSynonym of breviary, which arranges the Psalms for devotional recitation.
nounSynonym of Book of Common Prayer, which prominently includes the Psalms.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekψᾰλτήρῐον“harp”
- Latinpsaltērium“a kind of lute or zither”
- Old Frenchpsautier
- Middle Englishpsauter
- Englishpsalter
From Middle English psauter & sauter, from Old French psautier & saltier, from Latin psaltērium (“a kind of lute or zither”), from Ancient Greek ψᾰλτήρῐον (psăltḗrĭon, “harp”). Doublet of psalterion, psalterium, and psaltery.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic سِفْر المَزَامِير, زَبُور
- سِفْر المَزَامِير (sifr al-mazāmīr)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
- زَبُور (zabūr)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Bulgarian псалти́р
- псалти́р (psaltír)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Catalan saltiri
- saltiria stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Chinese Mandarin 聖詠經 /圣咏经
- 聖詠經 /圣咏经 (shèngyǒngjīng)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Czech žaltář
- žaltářa stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Dutch psalter
- psaltera stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Esperanto psalmaro
- psalmaroa stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Estonian psalter
- psaltera stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Finnish psalttari
- psalttaria stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
French psautier
- psautiera stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
German Psalter
- Psaltera stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Greek ψαλτήριο
- ψαλτήριο (psaltírio)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Irish saltair
- saltaira stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Italian salterio
- salterioa stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Japanese 聖詠, ソルター
- 聖詠 (seiei)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
- ソルター (sorutā)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
- サルター (sarutā)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
- 詩篇 (shihen)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Korean 시편
- 시편 (sipyeon)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Lithuanian psalteris
- psalterisa stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Persian زبور
- زبور (zabur)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Polish psałterz
- psałterza stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Portuguese saltério
- saltérioa stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Romanian psaltire
- psaltirea stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Russian псалты́рь, псалти́рь
- псалты́рь (psaltýrʹ)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
- псалти́рь (psaltírʹ)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Scottish Gaelic saltair, salmadair
- saltaira stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
- salmadaira stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Slovak žaltár
- žaltára stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Spanish salterio
- salterioa stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Swedish Psaltaren
- Psaltarena stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Turkish zebur
- zebura stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Ukrainian псалти́р
- псалти́р (psaltýr)a stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Welsh sallwyr
- sallwyra stand-alone copy of the Book of Psalms
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with psalter
All rhymes →Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
psalter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psalter
“psalter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psalter. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “psalter,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/psalter.
Source: psalter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.