/bal'euh luy"keuh/ , n.
a Russian musical instrument having a triangular body and a neck like that of a guitar.
[ 1780-90; balaláika, equiv. to balalai-, prob. orig. a v. base, akin to balabólit', balákat' chatter, talk nonsense (cf. Russ dial., Ukrainian balabáika balalaika), expressive derivs. of Slavic * bay- speak, tell, akin to FATE, -PHASIA + -ka n. suffix ]