What is "vihuela"

n. 1 A guitar-like string instrument of 15th- and 16th-century Spain, usually with six courses or sets of strings (twelve strings in total). 2 A guitar-like string instrument of 19th-century Mexico with five strings, typically played in mariachi bands.

The vihuela is a guitar-shaped string instrument from 15th and 16th century Spain, Portugal and Italy, usually with five or six doubled strings.