calliope

noun cal·li·ope \ kə-ˈlī-ə-(ˌ)pē , in sense 2 also ˈka-lē-ˌōp \

Definition of calliope

1 capitalized : the Greek Muse of heroic poetry

2 : a keyboard musical instrument resembling an organ and consisting of a series of whistles sounded by steam or compressed air

See calliope defined for kids

calliope was our Word of the Day on 07/18/2012. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of calliope from the Web

His ideas here duke it out for attention with collage effects reminiscent of Charles Ives and Luciano Berio, including fragmented bits of folk fiddle, circus calliope, Wagnerian climaxes, and an endless variety of outbursts from the organ.

— david patrick stearns, Philly.com, "Philadelphia Orchestra Brit fest opens on a wild note (cue the hyenas) with MacMillan's 'Scotch Bestiary'," 12 Jan. 2018
Just as the calliope music entices young children to chase such trucks on summer streets, the burly Bearcats swarmed around the vendor as if Earth's last cones were being served.

— scott springer, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Bearcat football gets welcome August visitor," 16 Aug. 2017
The calliope is playing on the Mark Twain riverboat while visitors cheer the frog-jump competition.

— paul meincke, chicagotribune.com, "ABC7 reporter Paul Meincke finds adventure and angels on epic Mississippi canoe trip," 10 Aug. 2017
Such as Saturday morning’s Double Take Parade, in which costumed twins and their family members walk alongside themed floats as an old calliope plays carnival tunes.

— emma ockerman, Washington Post, "Double the pleasure, double the fun. At Twins Days, an Ohio town revels in its quirky past.," 6 Aug. 2017
Calliope Popolizio died at an area hospital from injuries from the crash at the intersection of State Road 50 and Fifth Street in Clermont, Sgt.

— krista torralva, OrlandoSentinel.com, "89-year-old woman identified as victim in Clermont crash," 2 Aug. 2017
Calliope music blared from the kiddie rides just a few hundred feet from the area where bleating sheep were being judged for best in show.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "County fair a throwback to DuPage's agricultural past," 28 July 2017
Road closures will be set at these intersections: Calliope and Carondelet St. Charles and Calliope Howard and Carondelet St. Joseph and St. Charles Camp St. and Andrew Higgins Drive.

— doug maccash, NOLA.com, "Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue coming down Friday morning, city announces," 19 May 2017
Road closures will be set at these intersections: Calliope and Carondelet St. Charles and Calliope Howard and Carondelet St. Joseph and St. Charles Camp St. and Andrew Higgins Drive.

— manuel torres, NOLA.com, "Confederate monuments: 'Water feature' to go up at Lee Circle, U.S. flag at Jeff Davis site," 18 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'calliope.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

With a name literally meaning "beautiful-voiced" (from kallos, meaning "beauty," and ops, meaning "voice"), Calliope was the most prominent of the Muses-the nine sister goddesses who in Greek mythology presided over poetry, song, and the arts and sciences. She is represented in art as holding an epic poem in one hand and a trumpet in the other. The musical instrument invented and patented in the 1850s, played by forcing steam or compressed air through a series of whistles, was named after the goddess. Because its sound could be heard for miles around, the calliope was effective in luring patrons to river showboats, circuses, and carnivals, which is why the instrument continues its association with such attractions today.