[ad. L. lyrist-a, ad. Gr. λυριστής, f. λύρα LYRE.]
1. A player on the lyre; one who sings and accompanies himself on the lyre.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Lyrist, a Harper, or one that sings to the Harp.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XXIII. 133. While the sweet lyrist airs of rapture sings.
1763. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., 163. In the early Times, the Offices of Poet and Lyrist were united in the same Person.
1811. Busby, Dict. Mus., Introd. vi. David, it appears, was the best lyrist of his time.
1862. Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1865), VII. lv. 3. The long loose robe was the garb also of the lyrist.
2. A lyric poet.
1813. Eustace, Class. Tour (1821), II. vii. 240. The hills, the woods … which so often inspired the Roman Lyrist.
1821. Shelley, Adonais, xxx. From her wilds Ierne sent The sweetest lyrist of her saddest wrong.
1856. Masson, Ess., i. 9. Burns is a lyrist, pouring out his own feelings in song.
