What does guitarist mean?
A guitarist is a person who plays the guitar, usually as a performer, band member, or skilled instrumentalist. The word is neutral in tone and applies equally to amateur players and professionals, although discussions of popular music often use it to identify someone whose performance is publicly recognizable. In a band, the term may appear in descriptions of a lead guitarist or rhythm guitarist, but it also has a long history in jazz, classical, folk, country, rock, and other traditions. “Guitarist” is more focused than the general word “musician” and more specific than “instrumentalist,” while “guitar player” is an equally direct, plainer alternative. The noun forms the natural plural “guitarists.” Its history reflects the cultural importance of the instrument: the English word combines “guitar” with the suffix “-ist,” traditionally associated with a person who practices or performs a specified activity. The resulting term has long provided a concise label for the many performers who have made the guitar central to their work.
nounA person who plays the guitar, especially as a musician or performer.
- A person who plays the guitar, especially as a musician or performer.
"The acclaimed guitarist performed a new composition at the festival."
"Her guitar playing led to an offer to join the band as its lead guitarist."
"The guitarist adapted the piece for solo acoustic guitar."
The standard plural is “guitarists.”
"The two guitarists performed together on a number of original songs."
“Guitarist” makes the instrument the job: the suffix -ist means “one who does or practices,” yielding “one who plays guitar.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does guitarist come from?
“Guitarist” was formed in English from “guitar” and the productive suffix “-ist,” which ultimately derives from Greek and denotes a person who practices or performs something. “Guitar” entered English in the early eighteenth century through the Spanish “guitarra,” borrowed from Arabic “qanbūs” and ultimately related to the Greek “kithara.” Close cognates include the Spanish “guitarero” and the French “guitariste.”
How guitarist is actually used
The term is neutral in tone and gender-neutral, and it applies to amateurs as well as professionals. “Guitar player” is a plainer alternative, while “guitarist” can sound somewhat more performance-oriented.