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

According to its creators, the film serves as an ode to art, connection and the human experience, balancing the comedic sensibilities of silent films with a more introspective meditation on time, creativity and loss. —Spin Staff, SPIN, 19 June 2026

This duet with Stevie Wonder – a first for McCartney with another major artist – is much maligned because of its simplified ode to racial harmony. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026

This no-cook watermelon salad combines sweet, juicy watermelon chunks with peak-season tomatoes for a dish that is an ode to the best of summer produce. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

Called the Callback 8020, the phone is an ode to the early age of smartphones, and its purpose is to put a deliberate end to mindless scrolling. —Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 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"