musical

[ myoo-zi-kuhl ]
See synonyms for musical on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of, relating to, or producing music: a musical instrument.

  2. of the nature of or resembling music; melodious; harmonious.

  1. fond of or skilled in music.

  2. set to or accompanied by music: a musical entertainment.

noun
  1. a play or movie in which the storyline is interspersed with or developed by songs, dances, and the like.

Origin of musical

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; from Medieval Latin mūsicālis; see music, -al1

Other words for musical

Other words from musical

  • mu·si·cal·ly, adverb
  • mu·si·cal·i·ty [myoo-zi-kal-i-tee], /ˌmyu zɪˈkæl ɪ ti/, mu·si·cal·ness, noun
  • an·ti·mu·si·cal, adjective
  • an·ti·mu·si·cal·ly, adverb
  • an·ti·mu·si·cal·ness, noun
  • non·mu·si·cal, adjective
  • non·mu·si·cal·ly, adverb
  • non·mu·si·cal·ness, noun
  • pre·mu·si·cal, adjective
  • pre·mu·si·cal·ly, adverb
  • qua·si-mu·si·cal, adjective
  • qua·si-mu·si·cal·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with musical

Words Nearby musical

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use musical in a sentence

  • All my musical studies till now have been a mere going to school, a preparation for him.

  • In connection with this step the practice of melodies is useful, if one has musical taste.

    Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge Southwick
  • There cannot be many persons in the world who keep up with the whole range of musical literature as he does.

  • Chief and most musical among these signs were the almost forgotten sounds of dropping water, and tinkling rills.

    The Giant of the North | R.M. Ballantyne
  • It is a great thing for the musical education of the country to have such an organization travelling every winter.

British Dictionary definitions for musical

musical

/ (ˈmjuːzɪkəl) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, or used in music: a musical instrument

  2. harmonious; melodious: musical laughter

  1. talented in or fond of music

  2. involving or set to music: a musical evening

noun
  1. short for musical comedy

Derived forms of musical

  • musically, adverb
  • musicalness or musicality, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for musical

musical

A play or film that contains musical numbers. Musicals can be comedic (see musical comedy) or serious in tone, such as Porgy and Bess.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.