ode

1 of 2

noun

ˈōd 

plural odes

1

: a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style, varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms

Clifton's ode "homage to my hips"

2

: something that shows respect for or celebrates the worth or influence of another : homage

The museum would be an ode to visual storytelling, drawn from the director's collection of film ephemera and fine art.

—Chanan Tigay

The recipe is an ode to my homeland, Vietnam, and I'd like to share it with my new friends in America.

—Gourmet

odist

ˈō-dist 

noun

-ode

2 of 2

noun combining form

1

: way : path

electrode

2

: electrode

diode

Examples of ode in a Sentence

Noun

This poem is titled, “An Ode to My Mother.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As a finishing touch, the bathroom features allover orange—in lighting, walls, and decor—as an ode to the owners’ favorite color. —Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 10 June 2026

Maman Zari, the Persian tasting menu restaurant in Albany Park that was an elegant ode to an Iranian grandmother, closed permanently on June 6. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026

Launching on June 11, the Fan Festival will include a massive viewing screen to check out all of the World Cup matches, activities for fans like a soccer pitch, concerts, an ode to Georgia and more. —Irene Wright, USA Today, 9 June 2026

In an ode to Carol, every memo starts with celebrating whichever dish is the national food of the day. —Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 8 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin, from Greek ōidē, literally, song, from aeidein, aidein to sing; akin to Greek audē voice

Noun combining form

Greek -odos, from hodos

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ode

• blowed
• bode
• code
• crowed
• flowed
• glowed
• goad
• growed
• knowed
• load
• lode
• lowed

Kids Definition

ode

1 of 2 noun

ˈōd 

: a lyric poem that expresses a noble feeling with dignity

-ode

2 of 2 noun combining form

ˌōd

1

: way : path

electrode

2

: electrode

diode

Etymology

Noun combining form

derived from Greek hodos "way, path"