melody
noun
musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.
melody
1 American
[mel-uh-dee]
/ ˈmɛl ə di /
noun
-
melodies
plural
-
musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.
-
Music.
-
the succession of single tones in musical compositions, as distinguished from harmony and rhythm.
-
the principal part in a harmonic composition; the air.
-
a rhythmical succession of single tones producing a distinct musical phrase or idea.
-
-
a poem suitable for singing.
-
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
Synonym Usage
See harmony.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
The melody lines of the bass in R.E.M. songs are singularly melodic and distinctive, with a fluidity that makes them seem simple when they are not.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
Luther is interrupted during a solemn moment of prayer when the washing machine announces the end of its cycle by playing the melody of Schubert’s “Trout Quintet.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
It’s Morello half-speaking, half-singing against a gentle piano melody that emotionally underscores the song’s message of quiet defiance: “Maybe you can save me/Maybe you can’t/Maybe you can liberate me/Nah, I’ll take care of that.”
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
Beyond its storytelling, the song’s melody and chopped vocal riff are unforgettable on this track, standing out from the rest of the album.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Having students hum the melody rather than singing words helps them hear the melody separately from the lyrics.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
“I think it’s great that they’re promoting the library more and doing outreach,” said Jolyne Jimenez, 51, a library assistant at the Santa Monica Public Library and fan of My Melody.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Still, the home failed to sell, prompting the musician—who is married to fashion designer Melody Ehsani—to slash his ask once more in March 2024, this time to $6.8 million.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
"Everybody's lonely at some point, but some people are not OK admitting that," says Professor Melody Ding, an epidemiologist researching social connection and loneliness at the University of Sydney.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Melody Xu is a rising senior at Northwestern University, where she’s studying journalism and serving as managing editor of the Daily Northwestern.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
“I’m here with Melody and her family,” Rose mumbles.
From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper
Yet Mr. Sun’s approach is also singular for its blend of seriousness and whimsy, its combination of complicated structures and memorable melodies, and its commitment to both jazz tradition and sonic innovation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
In 11 catchy tracks spanning only 36 minutes, prominent guitars play counterpoint melodies supported by bouncy basslines and drums that were, as Mr. Hyden puts it, “made to sound like a robot.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
"I walk around in circles to get the melodies, to catch them," the Australian singer says.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
The gleeful melodies of the church choir practicing next door seeped in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
I’ve played around on my piano and come up with some original stuff, but mostly simple melodies.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
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.
