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

Outside his tech support job, Singh had been working for years as a producer in Canada’s thriving Punjabi music scene, blending traditional folk sounds with hip-hop beats and trap melodies. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

The Mountain Goat finds Munsick playing it straight, with his voice front-and-center over melodies that are simple and stripped-down, especially in comparison to his 2025 project, Eagle Feather. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2026

His songs have stood out not only for their unforgettable melodies but also for their socially conscious lyrics and memorable characters that turned everyday life stories into timeless music. — Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026

For more than 50 years, with a few breaks in between, Squeeze has been making memorable tunes by marrying infectious pop melodies with sophisticated and literate lyrics, often about the complexity of relationships. — Craig Rosen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 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