The lute is a plucked string instrument that was popular in Europe during the Renaissance and early Baroque periods. It has a rounded body and a neck with frets, and is played by plucking the strings with the fingers. The lute was used in a variety of genres, including solo music, chamber music, and opera.
However, the lute began to decline in popularity during the late Baroque period, as it was gradually replaced by the harpsichord. The harpsichord is a keyboard instrument that produces sound by plucking strings with quills. It was louder and more versatile than the lute, and was better suited to the larger, more complex musical forms of the Baroque period.