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monody

[ mon-uh-dee ]
/ ˈmɒn ə di /
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See synonyms for monody on Thesaurus.com
noun, plural mon·o·dies.
a Greek ode sung by a single voice, as in a tragedy; lament.
a poem in which the poet or speaker laments another's death; threnody.
Music.
  1. a style of composition in which one part or melody predominates; homophony, as distinguished from polyphony.
  2. a piece in this style.
  3. monophony (def. 1).
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Origin of monody

First recorded in 1580–90; from Late Latin monōdia, from Greek monōidía “a solo, monody,” equivalent to monōid(ós) “singing alone” + -ia noun suffix; see mon-, ode) -y3

OTHER WORDS FROM monody

mon·o·dist [mon-uh-dist], /ˈmɒn ə dɪst/, noun

Words nearby monody

monodiplopia, monodisperse, monodomous, monodont, monodrama, monody, monoecious, monoester, monofilament, monogametic, monogamic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to monody

elegy, hymn, chant, coronach, cry, jeremiad, keen, lament, march, requiem, threnody, canticle, ceremony, dirge, eulogy, liturgy, psalm, ritual, sermon, worship

How to use monody in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for monody

monody
/ (ˈmɒnədɪ) /
noun plural -dies
(in Greek tragedy) an ode sung by a single actor
any poem of lament for someone's death
music a style of composition consisting of a single vocal part, usually with accompaniment

Derived forms of monody

monodic (mɒˈnɒdɪk) or monodical, adjectivemonodically, adverbmonodist, noun

Word Origin for monody

C17: via Late Latin from Greek monōidia, from mono- + aeidein to sing
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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