Where does the name of guitar came from?

The word "guitar" is derived from the Spanish word "guitarra," which in turn is derived from the Arabic word "qitara." Qitara is a generic term for string instruments and comes from the Arabic verb "qattara," which means "to cut" or "to sever". This is likely reference to the instrument's strings. The word "guitar" first appeared in English in the late 16th century, and it has been used ever since to refer to the six-stringed instrument we know today.