Man'i-chôrd or Man'i-chôrd'on, n.

n. [Fr. manichordion, O. Fr. manicordon, Sp. & Pg. manicordio, It. monocordo, Gr. μονόχορδον, from μόνος, alone, single, and χορδή, string, because it was originally an instrument that had only one string; whence, in Giraud de Calanson, a Provençal poet, manicorda, ab una corda, i. e., the monochord with one string. Cf. MONOCHORD.] (Mus.) A musical instrument in the form of a spinet, whose strings, like those of the clavichord, are covered with little pieces of cloth to deaden and soften their sounds;—whence it is called the dumb spinet. It is no longer used.