raga

American  

[rah-guh] / ˈrɑ gə /

noun

1. one of the melodic formulas of Hindu music having the melodic shape, rhythm, and ornamentation prescribed by tradition.

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raga British  

/ ˈrɑːɡə /

noun

1. any of several conventional patterns of melody and rhythm that form the basis for freely interpreted compositions. Each pattern is associated with different aspects of religious devotion

2. a composition based on one of these patterns

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Etymology

Origin of raga

First recorded in 1780–90, raga is from the Sanskrit word rāga color, tone

Example Sentences

In one fine scene, Charu attends a raga performance in a concert hall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Hazari told the Indian newspaper The Telegraph he had "never come across a singer as talented", noting the boy's rapid progression from early raga lessons to the voice the world would later know.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

Alla Rakha was the loyal tabla partner of Ravi Shankar, who created an international rage for raga in the 1960s, holding sway over the likes violinist Yehudi Menuhin, the Beatles and Philip Glass.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

Beck’s lead guitar takes over for the entire last minute, melding rockabilly and something like raga, leaving the rest of the band to whoop along.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2023

Melodies are based on raga, which is a set of pitches similar to what we think of as a scale, but with many more non-musical characteristics.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin