lyricism

American  

[lir-uh-siz-uhm] / ˈlɪr əˌsɪz əm /

noun

1. lyric character or style, as in poetry.

2. lyric feeling; enthusiasm, especially when unrestrained or exaggerated.

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lyricism British  

/ ˈlɪrɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. the quality or style of lyric poetry

2. emotional or enthusiastic outpouring

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Other Word Forms

• nonlyricism noun

Etymology

Origin of lyricism

First recorded in 1750–60; lyric + -ism

Example Sentences

He pioneered the Afrobeat genre alongside drummer Tony Allen, blending West African rhythms, jazz, funk, highlife, extended improvisation, call-and-response vocals and politically charged lyricism.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

“There’s already a lyricism that exists in each of our lives,” he tells me.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

Thomas’s youth within a melodious family helped shape his ear for poetry, and the prose of his yuletide memoir also pulses with a pleasing lyricism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

As siblings who have taken starkly different paths, André Holland and Alani iLongwe gave performances in contrasting keys that nevertheless harmonized gorgeously, tapping deeply into the writing’s soaring lyricism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

She read the Qur’an and was struck by its power and lyricism.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers