melody

1 of 2

noun

mel·​o·​dy ˈme-lə-dē How to pronounce melody (audio)
plural melodies
Synonyms of melodynext
1
: a sweet or agreeable succession or arrangement of sounds
… whilst all the winds with melody are ringing.—Percy Bysshe Shelley
2
: a rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an aesthetic whole
a hummable melody
the piper's fingers play the melody on a pipe called a chanter—Pat Cahill
melodic
mə-ˈlä-dik How to pronounce melody (audio)
adjective
melodically
mə-ˈlä-di-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce melody (audio)
adverb

melodic

2 of 2

adjective

me·​lod·​ic mə̇ˈlädik How to pronounce melodic (audio)
meˈ-, 
-dēk
: relating to, containing, constituting, or made up of melody : melodious
melodically
-də̇k(ə)lē How to pronounce melodic (audio)
-dēk-, 
-li
adverb

Synonyms of melody

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of melody in a Sentence

Noun He wrote a piece that includes some beautiful melodies. a composer known for his love of melody He sang a few old melodies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Steely and deliberate songwriting that casually staggers down the line between rhythm and melody, laced with loose yet conscious jams. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2026 An interpolation re-records or re-performs the original melody, leaving the master untouched. — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Immersive robot awareness As a robot approaches, the system generates a melody that changes over time. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026 From the streets to the sheets, West Coast prodigy Blxst has turned his pain and passion into profit by masterfully blending melodies with bars. — Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for melody

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English melodie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin melodia, from Greek melōidia chanting, music, from melos limb, musical phrase, song (probably akin to Breton mell joint) + aeidein to sing — more at ode

Adjective

Late Latin melodicus, from Greek melōidikos, from melōidia melody + -ikos -ic

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of melody was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

melodrame
melody
melodyless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Melody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melody. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

melody

noun
mel·​o·​dy ˈmel-əd-ē How to pronounce melody (audio)
plural melodies
1
: a pleasing succession of sounds
2
: a series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect
3
: the leading part in a musical composition involving harmony

More from Merriam-Webster on melody

Nglish: Translation of melody for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about melody

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