lyric

1 of 2

noun

lyr·​ic ˈlir-ik 

1

: a lyric composition

specifically : a lyric poem

2

: the words of a song

—often used in plural

lyric

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: suitable for singing to the lyre or for being set to music and sung

b

: of, relating to, or being drama set to music

especially : operatic

lyric stage

2

a

: expressing direct usually intense personal emotion especially in a manner suggestive of song

lyric poetry

b

: exuberant, rhapsodic

… exploded with lyric wrath …

—Time

3

of an opera singer : having a light voice and a melodic style

a lyric soprano

compare dramatic sense 3

Did you know?

To the ancient Greeks, anything lyrikos was appropriate to the lyre. That elegant stringed instrument was highly regarded by the Greeks and was used to accompany intensely personal poetry that revealed the thoughts and feelings of the poet. When the adjective lyric, a descendant of lyrikos, was adopted into English in the 1500s, it too referred to things pertaining or adapted to the lyre. Initially, it was applied to poetic forms (such as elegies, odes, or sonnets) that express strong emotion, to poets who write such works, or to things meant to be sung. Over time, it was extended to anything musical or rhapsodic. Nowadays, lyric is also used as a noun naming either a type of poem or the words of a song.

Synonyms of lyric

Noun

• poem
• song

Adjective

• lyrical
• melodic
• musical

Examples of lyric in a Sentence

Noun

a song with a beautiful lyric

a poet admired for his lyrics

Adjective

they performed a slow, lyric dance for the audience

the film's lyric photography really enhanced its romantic mood

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Beautiful Ones contains the early pages of his writing as well as photos, scrapbooks and handwritten lyrics sheets. —Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026

Her lyrics are cryptic and imagistic, and rarely suggest much optimism; each song is a puzzle box that only snaps open to reveal a world of pain. —Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026

Adjective

The education division of Maker Park Radio, a nonprofit streaming station based in Stapleton, offers courses on vinyl, hip-hop lyric writing, live remixing, and intro to music production and sampling. —The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026

The pandemic special is not available online, but why not queue up this lyric video version for a pick-me-up? —Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle French or Latin; Middle French lyrique, from Latin lyricus, from Greek lyrikos, from lyra

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for lyric

• pyrrhic
• stearic
• balearic
• empiric
• etheric
• satiric
• hemispheric
• panegyric
• stratospheric
• interhemispheric

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Kids Definition

lyric

1 of 2 noun

lyr·​ic ˈlir-ik 

1

: a lyric poem or song

2

plural : the words of a song

lyric

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: resembling a song in form, feeling, or literary quality

b

: expressing a poet's own feeling : not narrative or dramatic

lyric poetry

2

: having or involving a light singing style