symphonic poem

Save This Word!

noun Music.

a form of tone poem, scored for a symphony orchestra, in which a literary or pictorial “plot” is treated with considerable program detail: originated by Franz Liszt in the mid-19th century and developed especially by Richard Strauss.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of symphonic poem

First recorded in 1860–65

Words nearby symphonic poem

sympetalous, symphile, symphonette, symphonia, symphonic, symphonic poem, Symphonie Fantastique, symphonious, symphonist, symphonize, symphony

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use symphonic poem in a sentence

Distraught, she wrote her poem on the subway on the way to the event.
Defying Stereotypes, Young Muslim Writers Find Community Onstage|Julianne Chiaet|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Uneeb Khan asked in his poem about his quest for answers following the death of his non-Muslim friend.
Defying Stereotypes, Young Muslim Writers Find Community Onstage|Julianne Chiaet|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Each word, from aa to za, gets its own two-page spread with a poem and a pic.
Well, La Ti Da: Stephin Merritt’s Winning Little Words of Scrabble|David Bukszpan|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
How much of your family was able to see you read your poem at the inauguration?
Richard Blanco’s Gay Latino Poet Survival Kit|William O’Connor|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

You include a story about a poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, really affecting you in your formative years.
Richard Blanco’s Gay Latino Poet Survival Kit|William O’Connor|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In his condemned cell he composed a beautiful poem of 14 verses (“My last Thought”), which was found by his wife and published.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Sebastian Brandt died; counsellor of Strassburg, a lawyer, and author of a curious poem.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
And in his heart the name of the poem repeated itself with significant insistence: Unwelcome!
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
They were still talking of the poem and the music, exchanging intimate thoughts in the language he could not understand.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
He was for many years judge of a court in Connecticut, and is known as the author of the popular poem, McFingal.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

British Dictionary definitions for symphonic poem

symphonic poem

noun

music an extended orchestral composition, originated by Liszt, based on nonmusical material, such as a work of literature or folk taleAlso called: tone poem

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