dithyramb
[ dith-uh-ram, -ramb ]
/ ˈdɪθ əˌræm, -ˌræmb /
noun
a Greek choral song or chant of vehement or wild character and of usually irregular form, originally in honor of Dionysus or Bacchus.
any poem or other composition having similar characteristics, as an impassioned or exalted theme or irregular form.
any wildly enthusiastic speech or writing.
QUIZZES
THE OCTOBER WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ IS HERE TO HAUNT YOU
Search your capacious memory for the meaning of October’s words!
Question 1 of 9
Which Word of the Day from this month means, “an irrational dislike; loathing”?
Origin of dithyramb
1595–1605; <Latin dīthyrambus<Greek dīthýrambos
Words nearby dithyramb
dithionate, dithionic, dithionic acid, dithionite, dithionous acid, dithyramb, dithyrambic, Ditmars, ditokous, ditransitive, ditriglyph
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for dithyramb
British Dictionary definitions for dithyramb
dithyramb
/ (ˈdɪθɪˌræm, -ˌræmb) /
noun
(in ancient Greece) a passionate choral hymn in honour of Dionysus; the forerunner of Greek drama
any utterance or a piece of writing that resembles this
Word Origin for dithyramb
C17: from Latin dīthyrambus, from Greek dithurambos; related to iambos iamb
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