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• melody
  melody

  noun

  musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.
• Melody
  Melody

  noun

  a female given name.

melody

¹ American  

[mel-uh-dee] / ˈmɛl ə di /

noun

melodies plural

1. musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.

2. Music.

   1. the succession of single tones in musical compositions, as distinguished from harmony and rhythm.

   2. the principal part in a harmonic composition; the air.

   3. a rhythmical succession of single tones producing a distinct musical phrase or idea.

   Synonyms:

   theme, descant, song, tune

3. a poem suitable for singing.

4. intonation, as of a segment of connected speech.

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Melody ² American  

[mel-uh-dee] / ˈmɛl ə di /

noun

1. a female given name.

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melody British  

/ ˈmɛlədɪ /

noun

1. music

   1. a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; tune

   2. the horizontally represented aspect of the structure of a piece of music Compare harmony

2. sounds that are pleasant because of tone or arrangement, esp words of poetry

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Synonym Usage

See harmony.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undermelody
  noun
• melodyless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• melodies
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

melody Melody melodies

When seeking out new songs, Clark said it was "always the melody" that caught her ear, "because melody is international".

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

In the pop melody “Volveré,” she questions where her heart will remain once she leaves town, as muffled trumpets chime in at the outro.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

He meets the younger singer on her turf: The track is a theatrical pop confection with a busy, singsong melody, and Mr. Smith’s ageless cracked moan makes him sound like an approving father figure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

“GAS STATION” pairs a frenetic synth melody reminiscent of Crystal Castles with lyrics about abandonment.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

But the sharp melody sliced the cold air around me like a knife.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

That’s because the speaker is local poet and author Melody Godfred, whose latest book, “Moon Garden,” attracted the attention of Aloni Ford, Yacht Girls founder and organizer of the meeting.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026

He also formed the Casual Club Quintet, earning an honourable mention in Melody Maker, one of Britain's most influential music weeklies.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

There were six members in the original line-up, but Jessica Sutta, Carmit Bachar and Melody Thornton are not part of this reunion.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

Soon I worked as a backstage assistant at the Cape Cod Melody Tent and danced in the chorus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

Instead, she responds thoughtfully: “You’ve always been able to say whatever came to your mind, Claire. All of you. But Melody has been forced to be silent. She probably has mountains of stuff to say.”

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

People still marvel at Miyazaki’s handcrafted backgrounds and his painstaking dedication to balancing its feather-light score with the melodies of flowing water or the gentle crunch of a child’s footfalls on grass and gravel.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

"The lyrics come much easier than the melodies," she says.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

You remember the rhythms and twinkly synths more than the melodies, and Madonna allows her own voice to be subsumed in the music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Ma’s greatest challenge, which he meets with wonderful musicianship, is to make Negrón’s engaging melodies, grand swaths of arpeggios, and simple patterns alluring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

I played around with melodies but never thought anything was worth writing down.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• chant
• lyric
• music
• refrain
• theme