# jamisen

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. An archaic stringed instrument of Japanese origin, traditionally made from snakeskin and characteristic of the Ryukyu islands; it is the ancestor of the shamisen.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 蛇味線 (jamisen).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/jamisen