rebab

R1E1B3A1B3
/ɹɪˈbæb/

noun

A stringed musical instrument, related to the lute, used especially in Islamic countries

OriginArabic رَبَاب →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounrebab (plural rebabs)

plural rebabs · alternative rabab

  1. entertainmentA stringed musical instrument, related to the lute, used especially in Islamic countries

    A last cricket scratched mournfully at its rebab.

    2007, Michael Chabon, Gentlemen of the Road, Sceptre, published 2008, page 62

Origin

  1. Arabicرَبَاب
  2. Englishrebab

Borrowed from Arabic رَبَاب (rabāb), plural of رَبَابَة (rabāba). Compare Middle French rebec, Classical Persian رُبَاب (rubāb).

More words from Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic رَبَابَة
  • رَبَابَة (rabāba)stringed musical instrument
Finnish rebab
  • rebabstringed musical instrument
Irish reabab
  • reababstringed musical instrument
Persian رُبَاب
  • رُبَاب (rubāb)stringed musical instrument
Polish rebab, rubab
  • rebabstringed musical instrument
  • rubabstringed musical instrument
Russian реба́б, руба́б
  • реба́б (rebáb)stringed musical instrument
  • руба́б (rubáb)stringed musical instrument
Turkish rebap
  • rebapstringed musical instrument

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with rebab

lababtabcabgrabfabslabdabstababbnabgabjabbabdrabcollabBabbblabvabflabshabknabniqabpoor dab
All rhymes →

Anagrams

BarbeBaberBerbaBebrabebarbrebaEbarb
Cite this entry
APA

rebab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rebab

MLA

“rebab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rebab. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rebab,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rebab.

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