melody

noun

mel·​o·​dy ˈme-lə-dē 

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

mə-ˈlä-dik 

adjective

melodically

mə-ˈlä-di-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• air
• lay
• song
• strain
• tune
• warble

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 melodies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Once this note has been determined, further adjustment is made to find the melody most closely resembling Breguet’s signature sound. —Carol Besler, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2023

Here, Velez’s poppy melodies and gentle slant rhymes usually serve a second function, crystallizing the themes in quickly recognizable and memorable gestures, as the harsh economy of musicals requires. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2023

Bird enthusiasts already use apps to snatch melodies out of the air and identify which species is singing. —Camille Bromley, WIRED, 29 Aug. 2023

The limber melodies of this concerto, its stunning lightness and the golden thread of Thibaudet’s gentle lines stitching the whole thing together seemed devoutly in service of pleasure. —Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023

Produced by the group’s Jorge Mejía and Rodolfo Lugo, Becerra starts off showcasing her powerhouse vocals, backed by soft accordion and guitar melodies, before transitioning into an infectious cumbia sonidera and cumbia villera fusion. —Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 18 Aug. 2023

Once the sound enters the brain, neurons shoot up across different parts to decode each lyric, melody and rhythm. —María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023

But unmistakable elements of the song’s rhythm, melody and harmony shine through. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2023

Its plodding melody is a key component to Roger Waters’ prosody—the vocal variations like intonation, stress, rhythm, and accent that make human speech sound… well, human. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

melody

noun

mel·​o·​dy ˈmel-əd-ē 

plural melodies

1

: a pleasing succession of sounds

2

: a series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect

3

: the leading part in a musical composition involving harmony