ode

1 of 2

noun

ˈōd 

plural odes

1

: a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style, varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms

Keats's ode "To a Nightingale"

2

: something that shows respect for or celebrates the worth or influence of another : homage

The museum would be an ode to visual storytelling, drawn from the director's collection of film ephemera and fine art.

—Chanan Tigay

The recipe is an ode to my homeland, Vietnam, and I'd like to share it with my new friends in America.

—Gourmet

odist

ˈō-dist 

noun

-ode

2 of 2

noun combining form

1

: way : path

electrode

2

: electrode

diode

Example Sentences

Noun

This poem is titled, “An Ode to My Mother.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hanks is very much a supporting player in Penny Marshall's sports-movie ode to the first women's professional baseball league, with Geena Davis taking the lead in a story of female identity in the wake of World War II. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2023

However, for those in the know, the in-jokes and references are a delightful surprise in this ode to the classic studio era. —Tim Moffatt, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2022

The movie is set in the early 1930s in rural Virginia and Haskell takes a few liberties in an ode to diversity and acceptance. —Rodney Ho, ajc, 18 Nov. 2022

The downpour of rain and gusting wind couldn’t stop partygoers from dressing in an ode to the late Manfred Thierry Mugler himself—think high-voltage heroine ensembles. —Concetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 16 Nov. 2022

Floral headdresses, intricate gele hair wraps, and bold prints are all created by designers from the subjects' native countries in an ode to cultural traditions and a look to futures punctuated by hope, fear, and family. —Allure, 19 Oct. 2022

In an ode to the showcase temple’s prominent location in Kensington, Md., just outside the U.S. capital, Nelson paid homage to the nation’s founders. —David Noyce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 Aug. 2022

As its title implies, there is much ado about nothing in Kenneth Branagh's ode to Shakespeare, and yet the genius comedy of errors is everything. —Deanna Janes, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 July 2022

Certainly the Celtics and Bucks have lived up to the legacy of Russell in their frenzied fortnight ode to Ali-Frazier. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin, from Greek ōidē, literally, song, from aeidein, aidein to sing; akin to Greek audē voice

Noun combining form

Greek -odos, from hodos

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ode

1 of 2 noun

ˈōd 

: a lyric poem that expresses a noble feeling with dignity

-ode

2 of 2 noun combining form

ˌōd

1

: way : path

electrode

2

: electrode

diode