'guitarist' originates from the word 'guitar,' which comes from the Spanish word 'guitarra,' derived from the Greek word 'kithara,' a type of ancient stringed instrument.

'guitarra' transformed into the English word 'guitar,' and eventually 'guitarist' was formed to denote a person who plays the guitar.

Initially, it referred to someone who played the 'kithara,' but over time it evolved to mean a person who plays the modern guitar.