melody
noun
musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.
melody
1 American
[mel-uh-dee]
/ ˈmɛl ə di /
noun
plural
melodies-
musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.
-
Music.
-
the succession of single tones in musical compositions, as distinguished from harmony and rhythm.
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the principal part in a harmonic composition; the air.
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a rhythmical succession of single tones producing a distinct musical phrase or idea.
-
-
a poem suitable for singing.
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intonation, as of a segment of connected speech.
Melody
2
American
[mel-uh-dee]
/ ˈmɛl ə di /
noun
melody
British
/ ˈmɛlədɪ /
noun
-
music
-
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; tune
-
the horizontally represented aspect of the structure of a piece of music Compare harmony
-
-
sounds that are pleasant because of tone or arrangement, esp words of poetry
Related Words
See harmony.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of melody
1250–1300; Middle English melodie from Medieval Latin melōdia from Greek melōidía “(choral) singing,” equivalent to mel- ( see melic) + -ōid- ( see ode) + -ia -y 3
Explanation
In any musical composition, there is a dominant line that creates a tone pattern known as the piece's melody. There are specific rules for the musical composition of a melody, and most fall into regular patterns. The ancient Greek word melōidía was used to denote a tune for lyric poetry. It was derived from melos, which meant "song." In most songs, the melody follows a logical, mathematical pattern that creates a memorable line of notes. The word suggests a beautiful and pleasant sound, as was celebrated in the 1946 Irving Berlin lyrics, "A pretty girl is like a melody that haunts you night and day."
Vocabulary lists containing melody
First-Name Basis: Words That Are Also Names
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"The Weary Blues" by Langston Hughes
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Music - Introductory
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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.
The Hammond B3 swells on the verse’s first pass, sticking close to the song’s melody, but on the second, it jumps an octave in an improvisation that nearly scorches the ear.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
Steve Stevens: The lyrics, the melody, a bit of crazy guitar — it’s got everything a great Billy Idol song should have.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Alternative rockers like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day began channeling the band’s signature blend of melody and crunchy guitars.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
The concert leaned heavily on the band's new album Arirang, which folds the melody and mythology of Korea's folk music into the band's hyperactive, experimental pop sound.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
In a round, everyone contributes equally in terms of melody.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
