Struna

Struna is a term used in several languages to denote a slender, flexible filament or cord. It refers to a thread-like element that can transmit motion, connect components, or produce sound, and it appears in everyday objects as well as in musical and technical contexts. Cognates occur across many Indo-European languages, including Polish struna, Russian струна (struna), Bulgarian струна (struna), and Croatian/Serbian/Bosnian struna. In Romanian, strună (with a diacritic) is commonly used for “string,” while struna may appear in broader or dialectal usage.

In music, struna specifically means a string of a musical instrument. Strings are typically made from gut, steel, nylon, or synthetic fibers, and are attached to anchors on the instrument. They are held under tension, and their pitch is determined by length, tension, and mass per unit length. Stringed instruments such as guitars, violins, violas, cellos, and pianos rely on strings to produce tones, with variations in material and construction affecting timbre and playability.

Beyond musical use, struna can denote any cord or filament used as a functional thread, tie, or supporting element in various devices and constructions. The exact material, diameter, and method of attachment vary by culture, purpose, and tradition, but the general concept remains a slender, tension-bearing line.

Etymology traces struna to Proto-Slavic roots meaning string or cord, with cognates found in multiple Slavic languages and related forms in Romanian. The term underscores a common semantic core across languages: a thin, flexible element designed to carry or transmit force and sound.