musical

[myoo-zi-kuhl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or producing music.

   a musical instrument.

   Synonyms: lyric, sweet, melodic, dulcet, tuneful

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

3. fond of or skilled in music.

4. 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.

musical

/ ˈmjuːzɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or used in music

   a musical instrument

2. harmonious; melodious

   musical laughter

3. talented in or fond of music

4. involving or set to music

   a musical evening

noun

1. short for musical comedy

musical

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

Other Word Forms

• musically adverb
• musicality noun
• musicalness noun
• antimusical adjective
• antimusically adverb
• antimusicalness noun
• nonmusical adjective
• nonmusically adverb
• nonmusicalness noun
• premusical adjective
• premusically adverb
• quasi-musical adjective
• quasi-musically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of musical¹

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

Example Sentences

The movie’s stiff Spider Woman set pieces are a relic of the ’90s musical that put Chita Rivera in a massive web.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“It is hard to overstate the intensity” of Mr. Byrne’s “need for recognition and approval,” Mr. Gould tells us, “from a select group of musical, visual, and theatrical artists and critics, centered in New York.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Having abandoned the Majestic Theatre, he’s now wreaking havoc on several floors of a nondescript building on West 57th Street, in a new immersive adaptation of the musical dubbed “Masquerade.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

At one point, a man blew a shofar, the traditional musical horn used in Jewish rituals, to the crowd’s applause.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The Nazi occupation was only one of many reasons his childhood was not a happy one, although his mother and certain teachers recognized his musical abilities early and tried to help as they could.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• choral 
• melodic 
• operatic 
• rhythmic 
• symphonic 
• vocal