A category of musical instrument defined by ethnomusicologists Erich Hornbostel and Curt Sachs. From the Greek -phone (sound or voice) and chord (cord)

Chordophones are stringed musical instruments, both bowed and plucked. Some examples of chordophones include the violin, fiddle, guitar, harp, lute, zither, and lyre.

See Also: membranophone, idiophone, aerophone, electrophone.