coda

noun

co·​da ˈkō-də How to pronounce coda (audio)
1
a
: a concluding musical section that is formally distinct from the main structure
b
: a concluding part of a literary or dramatic work
2
: something that serves to round out, conclude, or summarize and usually has its own interest

Examples of coda in a Sentence

The movie's coda shows the main character as an adult 25 years later.
Recent Examples on the Web Could there be a more amusing coda to the Barbie phenomenon than the Ken doll, played by Ryan Gosling, getting a Best Supporting Actor nomination, while Barbie herself, played by Margot Robbie, got snubbed? Rich Lowry, National Review, 26 Jan. 2024 As the slightly too-tidy coda hammers home, such perseverance is all about rising up, putting one foot in front of the other and cherishing what remains. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 He's soon joined by Phoebe, and their off-key duet is a poignant, funny coda to one of Chandler's most mature and moving storylines. EW.com, 29 Oct. 2023 That should be the Pogba the public should remember, not the disheartening coda of the last few years. Emmet Gates, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 An extended instrumental coda appears after a passage of silence, and suddenly the pedal steel and soft percussion provide transcendent levels of yacht-rock breeziness. Joshua Minsoo Kim, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024 Scientists disagree about how much meaning the codas can express. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2024 Kelce’s Super Bowl story arc was dramatic enough to be an appropriate coda of the 21-game soap opera that was the Kansas City Chiefs' season. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024 Having built an early 18-point lead only to trail by halftime, UCLA prevailed with a fittingly crazy coda in which the Bruins ran off nine consecutive points on the way to a 71-63 victory over Oregon at Pauley Pavilion. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coda.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, tail, from Latin cauda

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of coda was in 1740

Dictionary Entries Near coda

Cite this Entry

“Coda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coda. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coda

noun
co·​da ˈkōd-ə How to pronounce coda (audio)
: a closing section in a musical composition
Etymology

Italian, literally, "tail," from Latin coda, cauda "tail" — related to coward, cue entry 3, queue see Word History at coward, queue

More from Merriam-Webster on coda

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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