Main Entry:

mel·o·dy

Pronunciation:

\ˈme-lə-dē\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural mel·o·dies

Etymology:

Middle English melodie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin melodia, from Greek melōidia chanting, music, from melos limb, musical phrase, song (probably akin to Breton mell joint) + aeidein to sing — more at ode

Date:

13th century

1 : a sweet or agreeable succession or arrangement of sounds : tunefulness 2 : a rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an aesthetic whole

— me·lod·ic \mə-ˈlä-dik\ adjective

— me·lod·i·cal·ly \-di-k(ə-)lē\ adverb