Spinet
in music, a musical stringed instrument resembling the harpsichord, and, like that instrument, now superseded by the pianoforte. Each note had but one string, which was struck by a quilled jack acted on by one of the finger keys. The strings were placed horizontally, and nearly at right angles to the keys; and the general outline of the instrument resembled that of a harp laid in a horizontal position, on which account the spinet, when first introduced, was called the couched harp.