harper

From Middle English harpere, from Old English hearpere (“harpist, harper”), equivalent to harp +‎ -er. Cognate with Middle Low German harpære (“harper”), German Harfer and Harfner (“harper”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑː(ɹ)pə(ɹ)/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)pə(ɹ)

harper (plural harpers)

1. A harpist, especially one who plays a traditional harp without pedals.
   • 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh], “In the Fleete Made by Me William Cornishe otherwise Called Nyshwhete Chapelman with the Most Famose and Noble Kyng Henry the VII. His Reygne the XIX. Yere the Moneth of July. A Treatise betwene Trouth, and Information.”, in John Skelton, edited by J[ohn] S[tow], Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, Imprinted at London: In Fletestreate, neare vnto St Dunstan-in-the-West by Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: Printed for C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, 1736, →OCLC, page 290:

     The Harpe. […]
     A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong
     Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge

2. (obsolete) An old Irish brass coin bearing the emblem of a harp.
   • 1621 August 13 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Ben Jonson, “The Masque of the Gypsies”, in Q. Horatius Flaccus: His Art of Poetry. […], London: […] J[ohn] Okes, for John Benson […], published 1640, →OCLC:

     the harper that was gathered amongst us to pay the piper

• (one who plays a harp): harp-player, harpist

• Harper

• 2011. You Can Teach Yourself Lever Harp. Laurie Riley, Beth A. Kolle. Page 8.

harper c

1. indefinite plural of harpe

From Old High German harfan.

• ^{(aspirated h)} IPA^(key): /aʁ.pe/

• Audio:

  (file)

harper

1. (transitive, intransitive) to grasp forcefully

• “harper”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

harper m or f

1. indefinite plural of harpe

harper f

1. indefinite plural of harpe

harper

1. to play the harp

This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. The forms that would normally end in *-ps, *-pt are modified to s, t. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.