plectrum

UK: /ˈplɛktrəm/ US: /ˈplɛktrəm/ ,(plek′trəm)

Inflections of 'plectrum' (n):

plectra

npl

plectrums

npl

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

plec•trum /ˈplɛktrəm/   n. [countable] , pl. -tra /-trə/  -trums. 

1. Music and Dance a small piece of hard, unbending material, used to pluck the strings of a musical instrument.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

plec•trum  (plek′trəm), n., pl. -tra (-trə), -trums. 

1. Music and Dance a small piece of plastic, metal, ivory, etc., for plucking the strings of a guitar, lyre, mandolin, etc.
2. Anatomy, Zoology an anatomical part resembling a plectrum in shape.

• Greek plêktron
• Latin plēctrum
• 1620–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

plectrum / ˈplɛktrəm/ noun ( -trums, -tra / -trə/)

1. any implement for plucking a string, such as a small piece of plastic, wood, etc, used to strum a guitar, or the quill that plucks the string of a harpsichord
   Also called: plectron

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin plēctrum quill, plectrum, from Greek plēktron, from plēssein to strike