rhapsodic
Americanadjective
-
extravagantly enthusiastic; ecstatic.
- Synonyms:
- overjoyed, transported, elated
-
pertaining to, characteristic of, or of the nature or form of rhapsody.
adjective
-
of or like a rhapsody
-
lyrical or romantic
Other Word Forms
- rhapsodically adverb
- unrhapsodic adjective
- unrhapsodical adjective
- unrhapsodically adverb
Etymology
Origin of rhapsodic
From the Greek word rhapsōidikós, dating back to 1750–55. See rhapsody, -ic
Explanation
If your mother becomes rhapsodic describing a delicious meal, she is so delighted with her food that she's practically composing poems in praise of the butternut squash soup. The straightforward meaning of the adjective rhapsodic is "like a rhapsody," but in usage it borrows chiefly from a figurative use of rhapsody, "effusively rapturous or emotional expression." You might come across the phrase "to wax rhapsodic," which is pretty much the same thing as "to gush." People who are in love, for example, tend to wax rhapsodic about the objects of their affection.
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.
More unorthodox still is Attia’s rhapsodic ode to rapamycin, a drug derived from an antifungal agent first discovered in the soil of a volcanic crater on Easter Island.
From Slate • Feb. 26, 2026
By the time Jackson concluded, roaring “Keep hope alive!” once, twice … four times, Democratic delegates were rhapsodic.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 19, 2024
The obligatory callout to a Meg Ryan rom-com: Debbie, like Kathleen in “You’ve Got Mail,” waxes rhapsodic about fresh school supplies.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 6, 2024
Jessica Ware, an associate curator for the American Museum of Natural History, waxes rhapsodic about beetles.
From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2023
“Oh! to be able to paint in color rather than in words!” exclaimed Miss Mayblunt, losing herself in a rhapsodic dream as she looked at him.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
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.
