episode

noun

ep·​i·​sode ˈe-pə-ˌsōd 

also

-ˌzōd 

1

: a usually brief unit of action in a dramatic or literary work: such as

a

: the part of an ancient Greek tragedy between two choric songs

b

: a developed situation that is integral to but separable from a continuous narrative : incident

c

: one of a series of loosely connected stories or scenes

d

: the part of a serial presented at one performance

2

: an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series

3

: a digressive subdivision in a musical composition

Synonyms

• affair
• circumstance
• event
• hap
• happening
• incident
• occasion
• occurrence
• thing

Choose the Right Synonym for episode

occurrence, event, incident, episode, circumstance mean something that happens or takes place.

occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan.

an encounter that was a chance occurrence

event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause.

the events following the assassination

incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance.

a minor wartime incident

episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident.

a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work

circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background.

couldn't recall the exact circumstances

Examples of episode in a Sentence

It was a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work.

He tried to forget the whole embarrassing episode.

a painful episode from my childhood

Millions of people are expected to watch the show's final episode.

Recent Examples on the Web

Infectious Bites • This is a transitional episode in every sense. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025

In the show, Gail was married to Eugene (Joe Pantoliano, who will appear in flashbacks in later episodes), a marijuana farmer whom Joel killed. —Jessica Sager, People.com, 28 Apr. 2025

In a Season 6 episode of her family’s Hulu reality program, which aired in March 2025, Kardashian and her sister Khloé traveled to India to attend the lavish wedding of Anant Ambani, the son of Asia’s wealthiest man. —Sandra Gonzalez, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025

Later in the episode, Fielder attempts to bring himself closure on the episode's removal by hiring an actor to play the head of the German branch of Paramount+ and confronting him about the decision. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek epeisodion, from neuter of epeisodios coming in besides, from epi- + eisodios coming in, from eis into (akin to Greek en in) + hodos road, journey — more at in

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing episode

• bottle episode

Rhymes for episode

• afterload
• internode
• microcode
• multimode
• nematode
• nesselrode
• overflowed
• overload
• overrode
• radioed
• torpedoed
• trematode

Kids Definition

episode

noun

ep·​i·​sode ˈep-ə-ˌsōd 

: an event that is part of a longer story or of history or a life but which is viewed as complete by itself

episodic

ˌep-ə-ˈsäd-ik

adjective

Medical Definition

episode

noun

ep·​i·​sode

ˈep-ə-ˌsōd also -ˌzōd

: an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series

especially : an occurrence of a usually recurrent pathological abnormal condition

a manic episode

hypoglycemic episodes

episodic

ˌep-ə-ˈsäd-ik also -ˈzäd-

adjective

episodically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb