melody

noun mel·o·dy \ ˈme-lə-dē \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Examples: melody in a Sentence

Definition of melody

plural melodies

1 : a sweet or agreeable succession or arrangement of sounds

whilst all the winds with melody are ringing
—P. B. Shelley

2 : a rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an aesthetic whole

a hummable melody

the piper's fingers play the melody on a pipe called a chanter
—Pat Cahill

—

melodic

play \mə-ˈlä-dik\ adjective

—

melodically

play \-di-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See melody defined for English-language learners

See melody defined for kids

Examples of melody in a Sentence

He wrote a piece that includes some beautiful melodies.
a composer known for his love of melody
He sang a few old-fashioned melodies.

Recent Examples of melody from the Web

Perez, a Libra, came up with a chord sequence, to which Grau added a romantic melody.

— zoë madonna, BostonGlobe.com, "With a collaborative piece for Boston Landmarks Orchestra, ZUMIX students reach for the stars," 12 July 2018
This though is the sad song with a sweet melody whose mournful tone feel likes a response to the terror attack that killed 22 at a Grande show in England last year.

— dan deluca, Philly.com, "Drake, Ariana Grande, Cardi B and the other songs to create the best Summer music playlist," 5 July 2018
Visitors can tap out a melody on the xylophone made of bamboo stalks of varying sizes.

— janene holzberg, baltimoresun.com, "Jug Bay set to unveil trails, Nature Discovery Place at new Waysons Corner preserve," 4 July 2018
At the outset, a music-box ballerina spins, a woman cries into a bathroom sink, a pretty keyboard melody plays, and Bennington screams.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "What Linkin Park Gave to Pop Music," 25 June 2018
But this one stuck in my head like a good melody—and searched as a might for a similar one, nothing quite fit the bill.

— kerry pieri, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Unofficial Skirt of Summer Just Got Restocked," 19 June 2018
Perhaps because Mehldau is a pianist and composer, the dream was accompanied by a melody.

— andrew dansby, Houston Chronicle, "Dream analysis with pianist Brad Mehldau," 12 Apr. 2018
An ethereal sound, with a smooth, rangy melody that shuffles through keys, and a soft tap for a beat, fills a lab at Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

— nathan hurst, Smithsonian, "Can Biomusic Offer Kids With Autism a New Way to Communicate?," 2 Apr. 2018
Some riff off a simple melody, some swirl through convoluted variations.

— lawrence toppman, charlotteobserver, "Get more familiar with NC's Thelonious Monk (before his music stars at Charlotte Jazz Festival)," 2 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of melody

Middle English melodie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin melodia, from Greek melōidia chanting, music, from melos limb, musical phrase, song (probably akin to Breton mell joint) + aeidein to sing — more at ode

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year