ode

1 of 2

noun

plural odes
1
: a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style, varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms
Keats's ode "To a Nightingale"
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 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
Known as the Goose Island Lounge, the space was an ode to the Collaborative Series between Bardstown and the storied Windy City brewery. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Even the new Barbie's sunglasses are an ode to the Barbie from back then. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The new Ferrari line is an ode to the fashion and lifestyle evolution initiated by creative director Rocco Lannone. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2024 The show was an ode to the corporate commute, as models walked a bus turned runway in asymmetrical blazers and deconstructed button-ups. Channing Smith, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024 It’s all trussed up in the delectable package of Anglophilia, with its odes to shadowy libraries, pub trips, endless cups of tea, and the pedestrian ease of navigating London. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 Despite the references to Hollywood glamor, it could equally be seen as an ode to London and was hosted at the quintessentially British venue Banqueting House (where King Charles I was executed). Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 This classic blue-and-white design's name is an ode to Europe’s second largest river. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024 The song is a swelling, orchestral ode to the cycles of life and a call to live in the present. Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ode.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ode was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near ode

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

ode

1 of 2 noun
: 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"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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