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
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Noun
Euro-Country is an ode to that in-betweenness — the messy, difficult-to-box-in nature of Thompson’s feelings about fame, identity, and community. Cat Cardenas, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025 Each of Megan's nails is an ode to these powerful fruits with its own unique design centered around the signature swirls and swoops of the devil fruits. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 June 2025 A couple of days after his spectacular performance at the TPC River Highlands, Bradley used his X account, which has over 408,000 followers, to celebrate his triumph with a poetic note — sort of an ode to his New England roots. Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025 From verdant forests to majestic fjords, each step is an ode to nature and serenity. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ode

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

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Cite this Entry

“Ode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ode. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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"

More from Merriam-Webster on ode

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