melody

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

Synonyms of melody

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Examples of melody in a Sentence

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.
His music put melody and relatability ahead of acrobatics, and his overtures still had swagger. — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026 The synth melody is poignant through the buds, but the upper vocal harmony and some of the upper-register atmospheric instruments are slightly buried. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 High, Lonesome and Then Some, released in October 2025, had been a sonic experiment in slow, mellow country melodies. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026 Soundtracks often work in a similar way—music that’s been composed with the idea of accompaniment, melodies that are meant to join with a story already can work perfectly when one is in the midst of creating a character or scene. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for melody

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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 27 Oct. 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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about melody

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