Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mbira

/məbˈɪɹə/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.50 in modern English

Syllables
mbi-ra
IPA
/məbˈɪɹə/
9
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A thumb piano, a musical instrument having a small sound box fitted with a row of tuned tabs that are plucked with the thumbs, originating among the Shona of southern Africa; any type of plucked lamellophone of the same type as the Shona instrument.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Shona mbira (“thumb piano”).

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Music.

Inflected Forms

mbiras (plural)

Phrases

array mbira

Synonyms

finger piano sanza thumb piano

Rhymes With

mira sera lira hera madeira indira lire shira altamira taira almira mirra

Questions

How do you pronounce mbira?
The recorded pronunciation is /məbˈɪɹə/.
What does mbira mean?
A thumb piano, a musical instrument having a small sound box fitted with a row of tuned tabs that are plucked with the thumbs, originating among the Shona of southern Africa; any type of plucked lamellophone of the same type as the Shona instrument.
Where does mbira come from?
Borrowed from Shona mbira (“thumb piano”).

How to pronounce mbira

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “mbira”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/məbˈɪɹə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “mbira”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “mbira” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.