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

Vogue’s September cover star has been on an LBD kick as of late, promoting her new show, The Shards, in everything from a Breakfast at Tiffany’s-esque Prada number to an ode to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

The song, an ode to Sivan’s love and appreciation for women, especially transgender women, kicks off a new era for the singer following his 2023 album, Something to Give Each Other. — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026

Cars Land, for instance, could be read, in part, as an exploration of Southern California car culture and an ode to Route 66. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

However, Blockbuster’s legacy has lingered across the generations in the form of aesthetic odes to physical media, nostalgic callbacks, and even indie video games. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 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"