rhapsody

rhap·so·dy

noun \ˈrap-sə-dē\

plural rhap·so·dies

Definition of RHAPSODY

1

: a portion of an epic poem adapted for recitation

2

archaic : a miscellaneous collection

3

a (1) : a highly emotional utterance (2) : a highly emotional literary work (3) : effusively rapturous or extravagant discourse b : rapture, ecstasy

4

: a musical composition of irregular form having an improvisatory character

Examples of RHAPSODY

1. The mayor launched into a long rhapsody about his plans for the city.
2. <listening to Mozart always left him in a rhapsody that lingered for the remainder of the evening>

Origin of RHAPSODY

Latin rhapsodia, from Greek rhapsōidia recitation of selections from epic poetry, rhapsody, from rhapsōidos rhapsodist, from rhaptein to sew, stitch together + aidein to sing — more at ode

First Known Use: 1542

Related to RHAPSODY

Synonyms: cloud nine, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, heaven, high, intoxication, paradise, rapture, ecstasy, seventh heaven, swoon, transport

Antonyms: depression

Related Words: exaltation; blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, delight, enchantment, felicity, gladness, happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, pleasure; reverie, trance; inspiration; fervor, frenzy, madness, passion; cheer, cheerfulness, exuberance, gaiety (also gayety), glee, gleefulness, jubilance, jubilation, lightheartedness

Near Antonyms: misery, sadness, unhappiness, woe, wretchedness; blues, dejection, desolation, despair, despondency, disconsolateness, disheartenment, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, heartsickness, melancholy, mopes

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Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody