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.

—Percy Bysshe 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 of melody

• song
• tune

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

That turn of phrase, which gives both the band’s eighth album and lead track its title, This Mirror Weighs a Ton, frankly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and that’s sort of the point since Banks came up with it while improvising the melodies and vocals simultaneously. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026

Coleman’s harmolodic theory — in which melody, harmony and rhythm are each treated as equal components to be performed simultaneously by each instrumentalist in a group — had a profound effect on Ulmer. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026

Not like my boyfriend’s family’s doorbell, with its complicated, seven-tone church melody that gives you spiritual chills and causes you to quiver excitedly. —Literary Hub, 8 June 2026

That’s the spousal duo of Kate Kilbane and Dan Moses, songwriters with a splendid sense of how to use mood, melody and skillfully honed lyrics to drive a story forward. —Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026

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