adjective
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of or relating to melody
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of or relating to a part in a piece of music
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tuneful or melodious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of melodic
1815–25; < Late Latin melōdicus < Greek melōidikós. See melody, -ic
Explanation
Something that's tuneful or pretty to listen to is melodic. If your French teacher has a friendly smile and a melodic voice, you could probably sit and listen to her talk for hours. Anything sweet sounding — a bird's trill, a poet's voice, or the tune you sing in the shower — is melodic. A more technical meaning of the word is "containing melody," the definition a professional musician might use. Melody is a quality of music defined as "tunefulness" or "a satisfying series of notes." Music teachers play melodic patterns for their students to duplicate, and composers sometimes combine melodic phrases to form a symphony. The Greek root of melodic is melos, or "song."
Vocabulary lists containing melodic
Music - Middle School
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Music - High School
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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.
It starts with Mad Woman, whose opening instrumental presents a more organised, melodic version of Sabotage's cacophonic climax.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
For Bennett, the emergence of modern country music in the early 2000s -- with a highly polished, more pop sound and repeated "melodic shapes" -- is key.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
For three years, the música Mexicana band Linea from Stockton has been perfecting its sophomore album, “Todo ø Nada,” a 13-track project that incorporates elements of melodic trap, R&B, blues and corridos tumbados.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
In terms of atmosphere and melodic construction, Simon & Garfunkel’s “For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her” and “Kathy’s Song” are decent reference points.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
“I think you dropped this,” a low, melodic voice said in Yiddish from behind me.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
