The name 'lute' refers both to an instrument family or type and a specific instrument: the western European lute, whose rich history can be traced back to the oud, an Arabic instrument used since at least the 6th century. Among non-European relatives of lute family are the rebab and the Japanese shamisen.

The essential features of this family are a soundbox attached to a projecting neck, along which strings are stopped by the player's left hand. A lute is played by strumming with the fingers or using a plectrum (pick). 

The lute family is usually divided into long-necked and short-necked lutes, but also includes boat lutes. Lutes traditionally had pear shaped bodies and hard wooden tops. Plucked rebabs often had similar shaped bodies but with a skin top. However there are presently so many crossovers between the two families it is often hard to distinguish them, and both can be fretted or unfretted. Boat lutes are a much different category and unrelated in that they are usually carved from single piece of wood with an open back. Often they are large enough to sit a small child in, hence the name.

Generally, a European lute has a rounded or vaulted body crafted from steamed and bent strips of wood, a distinctly ornate single sound hole and a long neck which is bent at the end (at the pegbox) at nearly a right angle. Often, luthiers use a mix of hard and soft woods, including rosewood, fir, pine and spruce. The sound is relatively soft but clear and distinct.

In Europe, the lute was considered one of the most important instruments during the Renaissance era. Played in solos or ensembles, lutes accompanied dances or vocal music. A myriad of published music collections dating from the 15th century and dedicated to the lute are a significant part of early Western musical heritage. During the second half of the 16th century, as bass sounding instruments became increasingly important to the musical repertoire, luthiers varied their work by adding lower strings and changing the way these strings were attached to the neck and body. Among the lower voiced models are the chitarrone and the theorbo.