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

Clifton's ode "homage to my hips"

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

Examples of ode in a Sentence

Noun

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This is a contemporary take on the traditional lamps that the Japanese place outside their homes, but also an ode to the original Tiffany lamp at the flagship Waldorf Astoria New York. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026

The whir of science meets the wonder of nature and this charming, gorgeously shot ode to discovery (both on Earth and out there) makes one hope the motion picture academy sees fit to recognize more imaginative nonfiction works going forward. —Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026

While some astrology enthusiasts emblazon their sun signs on Instagram bios, others go the permanent route, tattooing eternal odes to the celestial bodies on their actual bodies. —Micaela English, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026

For instance, on the menu, is an ode to the (now closed) landmark Ann’s Snack Bar, whose plate-sized Ghetto Burger was one of the greatest joys of his childhood. —Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for ode

• blowed
• bode
• code
• crowed
• flowed
• glowed
• goad
• growed
• knowed
• load
• lode
• lowed

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

Etymology

Noun combining form

derived from Greek hodos "way, path"