-ode

¹

1. a suffix of nouns, appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “like”; used in the formation of compound words.

   phyllode.

-ode

²

1. a combining form meaning “way,” “road,” used in the formation of compound words.

   anode; electrode.

ode

³

[ohd]

noun

1. a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion.

2. (originally) a poem intended to be sung.

-ode

¹

combining form

1. denoting resemblance

   nematode

-ode

²

combining form

1. denoting a path or way

   electrode

ode

³

/ əʊd /

noun

1. a lyric poem, typically addressed to a particular subject, with lines of varying lengths and complex rhythms See also Horatian ode Pindaric ode

2. (formerly) a poem meant to be sung

ode

1. A kind of poem devoted to the praise of a person, animal, or thing. An ode is usually written in an elevated style and often expresses deep feeling. An example is “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” by John Keats.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ode¹

< Greek -ōdēs, probably generalized from adjectives describing smells, as kēṓdēs smelling like incense; base ōd- of ózein to smell, give off odor

Origin of ode²

< Greek -odos, combining form of hodós

Origin of ode³

1580–90; < Middle French < Late Latin ōda < Greek ōidḗ, contraction of aoidḗ song, derivative of aeídein to sing

Word History and Origins

Origin of ode¹

from Greek -ōdēs, from eidos shape, form

Origin of ode²

from Greek -odos, from hodos a way

Origin of ode³

C16: via French from Late Latin ōda, from Greek ōidē, from aeidein to sing

Example Sentences

The song that will almost certainly have everyone talking is “Wood,” a gleeful ode to a partner’s…impressive appendage.

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But the production, which combines synth stabs and funk guitar like a fusion of the Jackson 5 and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” has a strutting sense of propulsion utterly absent elsewhere on the record, and Ms. Swift sings her ode to her fiancé’s anatomy with genuine joy.

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“The Lowdown” is also Harjo’s ode to the noir films he loves dearly.

Read more on Salon

And there’s enough tracks — like the burbling rocker “Live in The Moment, Baby,” the Western ghost town ode “Blues for Terry Southern,” the aforementioned “Ten Years Gone,” a classic rocker that also manages to stylistically stretch across multiple eras, or the Who-like “Transcendental Peruvian Blues” — that you could throw on your phone to show up on shuffle and they’d be welcome visitors.

Read more on Salon

In a statement, Dior suggested the collection would be an ode to past designs.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

What does -ode mean?

The combining form -ode is used like a suffix that has two distinct senses.The first of these senses is “like,” and this form of -ode is very occasionally used in a variety of scientific terms, especially in biology. This sense of -ode comes from Greek -ōdēs, roughly meaning “smell.” This suffix in Greek likely comes from words that describe smells and is related to the verb ózein, which means "to smell."The second of these senses is “way” or "road," and this form of -ode is occasionally used in a variety of technical terms, especially in electrical terms. This sense of -ode comes from Greek hodós, meaning "way."

When To Use

What else does ode mean?

In literature, an ode is a type of lyrical poem enthusiastically praising a person or event. The slang ode, pronounced [ oh-dee ], is an intensifying adverb meaning "really" or "very."How is ode pronounced?[ ohd ] or [ oh-dee ]What are other forms of ode?odeeWhat are some other words related to ode?

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