music
Americannoun
-
an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.
-
the tones or sounds employed, occurring in single line (melody) or multiple lines (harmony), and sounded or to be sounded by one or more voices or instruments, or both.
-
musical work or compositions for singing or playing.
-
the written or printed score of a musical composition.
-
such scores collectively.
-
any sweet, pleasing, or harmonious sounds or sound.
the music of the waves.
-
appreciation of or responsiveness to musical sounds or harmonies.
Music was in his very soul.
-
Fox Hunting. the cry of the hounds.
idioms
noun
-
an art form consisting of sequences of sounds in time, esp tones of definite pitch organized melodically, harmonically, rhythmically and according to tone colour
-
such an art form characteristic of a particular people, culture, or tradition
Indian music
rock music
baroque music
-
the sounds so produced, esp by singing or musical instruments
-
written or printed music, such as a score or set of parts
-
any sequence of sounds perceived as pleasing or harmonious
-
rare a group of musicians
the Queen's music
-
informal to confront the consequences of one's actions
-
something that is very pleasant to hear
his news is music to my ears
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of music
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English musike, from Latin mūsica, from Greek mousikḕ (téchnē) “(the art) of the Muse,” feminine of mousikós, from Moûs(a) Muse + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Music is the pleasing sound created by voices or instruments following some tonal structure. If you sing, whistle, or play an instrument, you are making music. You can also write music using the specific language of notes. In Greek mythology, the goddesses who inspired creativity were called the Muses, from the words mousikḕ téchnē ("the art of the muses”). This led to the Latin mūsica. The word is also used in various idioms, such as "face the music," which means to accept consequences, and "making beautiful music together," which suggests making love. If something is "like music to your ears," you are happy to hear it.
Vocabulary lists containing music
Lesson 4
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Lessons 4–5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Week 1 Spelling
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He has eschewed services like Spotify and Apple Music, in part because they don’t sell music.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
An international music, arts and dance festival in Glasgow has been cancelled due to low ticket sales.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
He warned that the issue doesn’t stop at journalism, with the future of publishing, music and academic research also at stake.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Rap musicians Lil Yachty and Lil Wayne, as well as Latin music star Rauw Alejandro, are part of Run Fast Racing, which recently purchased a share of the colt from Los Angeles owner-breeder Glenn Sorgenstein.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
The only sound comes from the music playing: Stevie Wonder singing “Superstition.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
