coda

1 of 2

noun

co·​da ˈkō-də How to pronounce coda (audio)
Synonyms of codanext
1
a
: a concluding musical section that is formally distinct from the main structure
b
: a concluding part of a literary or dramatic work
2
: something that serves to round out, conclude, or summarize and usually has its own interest

CODA

2 of 2

abbreviation or noun

plural CODAs
: a child and especially a hearing child of adults who are deaf
Growing up in the Cayman Islands as a multiracial young girl and Child Of Deaf Adults (CODA), Byers was bullied throughout her childhood.Bianca R. Montes
Often, CODAs spend their lives bridging the gap between the Deaf culture and the hearing culture as they become ASL interpreters for their Deaf parents.Joyceann Fileccia

Examples of coda in a Sentence

Noun The movie's coda shows the main character as an adult 25 years later.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff. Chris Willman, Variety, 22 May 2026 No title cards summing up Moulin’s noble deeds greet us at the end; there is no misty coda. Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 The song closes with a coda of saz and mandolin, mournful and hopeful in equal measure. Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026 Many of his later programs have been capped by a coda in which the tricks of the trade are laid bare—no trick being more vital than that of extreme patience, with camera operators waiting days, or even weeks, for the right cub, or pup, or fledgling, or froglet, to show up. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for coda

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, literally, tail, from Latin cauda

Abbreviation or noun

child of deaf adults

First Known Use

Noun

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Abbreviation Or Noun

1991, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coda was in 1740

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Cite this Entry

“Coda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coda. Accessed 26 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

coda

noun
co·​da ˈkōd-ə How to pronounce coda (audio)
: a closing section in a musical composition
Etymology

Noun

Italian, literally, "tail," from Latin coda, cauda "tail" — related to coward, cue entry 3, queue see Word History at coward, queue

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