whats a mandolin

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandolin

In the same family with guitars, ukuleles, lutes, etc.

Answer 2

Here's a video of someone playing a mandolin; you can hear what it sounds like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-DzlCPdSfc

Answer 3

A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family (plucked, or strummed). It is descended from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. It has a body with a teardrop-shaped soundboard, or one which is essentially oval in shape, with a soundhole, or soundholes, of varying shapes which are open and are not decorated with an intricately carved grille like the Baroque era mandolins