lyric

[lir-ik]

adjective

1. (of poetry) having the form and musical quality of a song, and especially the character of a songlike outpouring of the poet's own thoughts and feelings, as distinguished from epic and dramatic poetry.

2. pertaining to or writing lyric poetry.

   a lyric poet.

3. characterized by or expressing spontaneous, direct feeling.

   a lyric song; lyric writing.

4. pertaining to, rendered by, or employing singing.

5. (of a voice) relatively light of volume and modest in range.

   a lyric soprano.

6. pertaining, adapted, or sung to the lyre, or composing poems to be sung to the lyre.

   ancient Greek lyric odes.

noun

1. a lyric poem.

2. Often lyrics. the words of a song.

lyric

/ ˈlɪrɪk /

adjective

1. 1. expressing the writer's personal feelings and thoughts

   2. having the form and manner of a song

2. of or relating to such poetry

3. (of music) having songlike qualities

4. (of a singing voice) having a light quality and tone

5. intended for singing, esp (in classical Greece) to the accompaniment of the lyre

noun

1. a short poem of songlike quality

2. (plural) the words of a popular song

lyric

1. A kind of poetry, generally short, characterized by a musical use of language. Lyric poetry often involves the expression of intense personal emotion. The elegy, the ode, and the sonnet are forms of the lyric poem.

Other Word Forms

• lyrically adverb
• lyricalness noun
• nonlyric adjective
• nonlyrical adjective
• nonlyrically adverb
• nonlyricalness noun
• semilyric adjective
• semilyrical adjective
• semilyrically adverb
• unlyric adjective
• unlyrical adjective
• unlyrically adverb
• unlyricalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lyric¹

1575–85; < Latin lyricus < Greek lyrikós. See lyre, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of lyric¹

C16: from Latin lyricus, from Greek lurikos, from lura _lyre

Example Sentences

“I had the lyrics up, and as she was reading it, she looked up at me and there was a tear in her eye,” she recalls.

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The clock ticks on; six hours until Smith performs “Horses,” perhaps hand in hand with the young artist who first penned the lyrics to “Gloria” and “Redondo Beach.”

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It also features a rival group made up of five demons called the Saja Boys, whose song lyrics address themes including temptation and seduction.

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Raphael started writing the lyrics and it had all that, but also the element of “take me in your arms tonight.”

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After wrapping up a grueling trip, one of Redick’s first thoughts was Jay-Z’s track “A Week Ago,” which begins with the lyric: “It was all good just a week ago.”

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