Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sister, n.² Also: sistir, sistre, seistar, -er, siester, cistre, cistier. [? Related to ME and e.m.E. sistrum, a kind of timbrel or tambourine, L. sistrum, f. the Gk. (cf. F. sistre, 1527 in Larousse); or altered form of e.m.E. cythren (1566), cittern (1577) etc., a stringed instrument played with a plectrum or quill, with which the sense appears more closely to correspond.] A musical instrument, appar., from the context, chiefly a stringed instrument, poss. a variety of cithern; once, however, a type of cymbal, and prob. in this case = ME and e.m.E. sistrum. Also attrib. with pen, a quill. Also b. One who plays on this instrument.Cf. Cithole n. and Sythol(l n. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 251/455.
Praise him … Uith uioles guthornes cistres [1591 cistiers] als 1590 Burel Queen's Entry 137.
Trumpets and timbrels maid gret beir With instruments melodious The seistar and the sumphion [etc.] 1591-2 Rob Stene 19.
As Appollo, I sowld stand, With herp and sistir in myne hand 1587-99 Hume 69/30.
Sum on a luth, sum on a sistre play 1597 Elgin Rec. II 398.
To instruct … the ȝowthe … to play vpoun all musicall instrumentis speciallie virginallis monicordis luit seister [etc.] 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 50/12.
Uith sounding cymbales … & chilping sisteris [Psalm 150, Authorised Version the high sounding cymbals]attrib. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Plectron, vel -um, a fiddle-stick, or a siester penb. 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 15.
To his howboyis for thair newar gift … to his sisters [ed. sisteis] vj cronis [etc.]