2071: lyres and lyrics Aug 16, 2020

Lyres are instruments and obviously can't sing, but they are the reason why sung words are called 'lyrics'. Lyres were essentially a national instrument in Greece originally Egyptian, but by the 18th century or so, it became emblematic of lyric poetry which also bears the name. It is from this association with music in a general sense that 'lyre' gave rise not only to 'lyrics' but also a constellation in the shape of the instrument, apparently.

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