Calypso
Americannoun
-
Classical Mythology. Also Kalypso a sea nymph who detained Odysseus on the island of Ogygia for seven years.
-
Also called fairy-slipper. (lowercase) a terrestrial orchid, Calypso bulbosa, of the Northern Hemisphere, having a single variegated purple, yellow, and white flower.
-
(lowercase) a musical style of West Indian origin, influenced by jazz, usually having topical, often improvised, lyrics.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a popular type of satirical, usually topical, West Indian ballad, esp from Trinidad, usually extemporized to a percussive syncopated accompaniment
-
a dance done to the rhythm of this song
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of Calypso
The name of the musical style is of obscure origin and perhaps only copies the spelling of Calypso the sea nymph
Vocabulary lists containing calypso
National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Central America and the Caribbean - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Charlize Theron is appropriately enchanting as Calypso, whose charms waylay and confuse Odysseus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
With Calypso now safely back in the stables, Shams is undeterred by what has happened and has big ambitions.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2024
They said clients for Adenza's Calypso offering include tier 3 banks with under $10 billion in assets and tier 2 banks with $10 billion to $100 billion in assets.
From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2023
Woodside Energy, an Australian company, is developing Calypso with BP.
From New York Times ● May 15, 2023
“But, Percy,” Calypso said gently, “I did support him in the first war. He is my father.”
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
![]()
"St. Thomas," which appeared on "Saxophone Colossus" and became his best-known song, incorporated Caribbean calypso that he had heard as a child.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
One of the tracks, a brightly melodic calypso theme titled “St. Thomas,” is Rollins’ best known composition, and a standard in the lexicon of jazz tunes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
But rather than fade out toward the end, the song springs into a spirited calypso capped by a flugelhorn solo by Chuck Findley.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
The event is an international showcase for mas dancing, soca, calypso, steel bands and sound systems.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2023
It felt like I was executing something in between a karate move and calypso dance.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
![]()
And the Laird of Cockpen either marries the next young lady on his list, or, departing to far lands, discovers that the supply of Calypsos and Ariadnes is practically unlimited.
From The Crooked Stick or Pollies's Probation by Boldrewood, Rolf
Ah, these Aspasias, these Circes, these Calypsos, these Cleopatras, with their blue, their gray, their amber eyes!
From Man on the Box by MacGrath, Harold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.