See Also: melody(dictionary)
melody(encyclopedia)
melody(dictionary)

melody (iou)



melody noun & verb. ME.
[Old & mod. French melodie from late Latin melodia from Greek meloidia singing, choral song, from meloidos musical, from melos song, music + oide ODE: see -Y3.]
A. noun.
Sweet music, either vocal or instrumental; beautiful arrangement of musical sounds; tunefulness. ME.
Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream Philomel with melody, Sing in our sweet lullaby. Shelley Whilst all the winds with melody are ringing.
A song or other musical performance. ME-M16.
a. A series of single notes arranged in musically expressive succession; an air. E17.
Day Lewis From childhood I could pick up a melody by ear. S. Rushdie A glade filled with the gentle melodies of song-birds.
b. A poem, song, etc., written to be sung to a particular arrangement of single notes in expressive succession. E19.
W. Carleton The touching and inimitable Melodies of my countryman Thomas Moore.
c. The principal part in a harmonized piece of music. L19.
W. S. Rockstro Arrangements with the melody, as usual, in the Tenor.
Music. (The branch of music that deals with) the arrangement of single notes in expressive succession. Cf. HARMONY 3. E18.
F. Burney Melody and Harmony..had been cultivated for the use of the church.
b. verb intrans. Make melody; sing. rare. L16.