SYNONYMS | EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN adjective of, relating to, or producing music : a musical instrument. of the nature of or resembling music ; melodious; harmonious. fond of or skilled in music . set to or accompanied by music : a musical entertainment. noun Also called musical comedy . a play or motion picture in which the story line is interspersed with or developed by songs, dances, and the like. Origin of musical First recorded in
1375–1425; late Middle English word from
Medieval Latin word
mūsicālis. See
music ,
-al1 Related forms mu·si·cal·ly , adverb mu·si·cal·i·ty , mu·si·cal·ness , noun an·ti·mu·si·cal , adjective an·ti·mu·si·cal·ly , adverb an·ti·mu·si·cal·ness , noun non·mu·si·cal , adjective non·mu·si·cal·ly , adverb non·mu·si·cal·ness , noun pre·mu·si·cal , adjective pre·mu·si·cal·ly , adverb qua·si-mu·si·cal , adjective qua·si-mu·si·cal·ly , adverb un·mu·si·cal·i·ty , noun Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for musical rhythmic ,
melodic ,
symphonic ,
vocal ,
choral ,
operatic ,
sweet ,
consonant ,
pleasing ,
melodious ,
blending ,
agreeable ,
dulcet ,
euphonious ,
harmonious ,
mellow ,
orchestral ,
tuneful ,
symphonious ,
lilting Examples from the Web for musical Contemporary Examples of musical He was treated like an immigrant, working for minimum wage, missing his family and having to move on from his musical career.
Her very first performance onstage came at the age of 4, when she cameoed as a dancing flower in the musical Bye Bye Birdie.
Her mother had a musical theater background, so Malone grew up backstage, watching productions come to fruition.
I heard that at one point you were trying to put together a Batman musical on Broadway.
The cultural weather was particularly clement for musical theater writers during this period.
Historical Examples of musical To confess the strange truth, he never told me you were musical .
When Vavasor was gone she turned with greater diligence to her musical studies.
Far away through the forest might be heard its musical clangor and swell.
My voice was a marvel even to myself, so rich and full and musical !
It was Mattheson, by his own account, who introduced Handel to the musical life of Hamburg.
British Dictionary definitions for musical adjective of, relating to, or used in music a musical instrument
harmonious; melodious musical laughter
talented in or fond of music
involving or set to music a musical evening
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Derived Forms musically , adverb musicalness or musicality , noun 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
Word Origin and History for musical adj. early 15c., "pertaining to music; tuneful, harmonious; adept at making music," from Middle French musical (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin musicalis , from Latin musica (see music ). Musical box is from 1829. Children's game musical chairs is attested from 1877, hence use of musical as a modifier meaning "changing rapidly from one to another possessor" (1924). Related: Musically .
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n. "theatrical piece in which music figures prominently," 1937, from musical (adj.) in musical play . Earlier as a noun it meant "musical instrument" (c.1500), "musical performance" (1570s); "musical party" (1823, a sense now in musicale ).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
A play or film that contains musical numbers. Musicals can be comedic (see musical comedy ) or serious in tone, such as Porgy and Bess .
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
