Fiddle

Fiddle [the etym. suggested by Sachs is a W. Asiatic one: the Ossetic *fandir. Related and derived words are: feandir, feðilo, fidil, pandur; ONordic: fiðlu; OEngl.: fiðele, fithele; OHGer.: fidula; MHGer.: videle, fidel; OFr.: fideille; MFr.: vielle, vièle, viole; Ger.: Fiedel; It.: viola; Sp.: vihuela; Nor.: fele; Swed., Icelandic: fidia; med. Lat.: fidella, vigella, vitula, vidula, vialla, viella], 1. generic name for a bowed instr. having a neck; 2. from the 17th c. on, familiar name for…