rhapsody

noun

rhap·​so·​dy ˈrap-sə-dē How to pronounce rhapsody (audio)
plural rhapsodies
1
: a portion of an epic poem adapted for recitation
2
archaic : a miscellaneous collection
3
a(1)
: a highly emotional utterance
(2)
: a highly emotional literary work
(3)
: effusively rapturous or extravagant discourse
4
: a musical composition of irregular form having an improvisatory character

Examples of rhapsody in a Sentence

The mayor launched into a long rhapsody about his plans for the city. listening to Mozart always left him in a rhapsody that lingered for the remainder of the evening
Recent Examples on the Web Composed of rhapsody and opinionation, without shape or chronology, Roger Lewis’s biography of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton tries to get at the strangeness of stardom. Frances Wilson, The New York Review of Books, 29 Feb. 2024 To watch Chita Rivera in her prime was to experience the rhapsody of theatricality in motion. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024 Amid the arcana, Liszt was still writing Hungarian rhapsodies, not to mention arrangements of polkas by Smetana and other salon-ready fare. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023 Call it a rhapsody in red. Manyin Li, National Review, 7 Mar. 2021 That earlier outing was a haute bohemian rhapsody. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2020 Wang recently made news by playing the four concertos and rhapsody in a marathon at New York’s Carnegie Hall, with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who is also music director of the Metropolitan Opera. Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023 The concerts over the weekend included, mercifully one at a time, Concerto No. 1 on Thursday, the rhapsody on Friday and the super popular Concerto No. 2 on Saturday and Sunday. Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023 Hits by Madonna, Beyoncé, U2, Elton John, Rihanna, Queen and Sia arrive at plot-perfect moments during this randy bohemian rhapsody. oregonlive, 2 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rhapsody.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin rhapsodia, from Greek rhapsōidia recitation of selections from epic poetry, rhapsody, from rhapsōidos rhapsodist, from rhaptein to sew, stitch together + aidein to sing — more at ode

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rhapsody was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near rhapsody

Cite this Entry

“Rhapsody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhapsody. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rhapsody

noun
rhap·​so·​dy ˈrap-səd-ē How to pronounce rhapsody (audio)
plural rhapsodies
1
: a written or spoken expression of great emotion
2
: a musical composition of irregular form
rhapsodic
rap-ˈsäd-ik
adjective
also rhapsodical
-i-kəl
rhapsodically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on rhapsody

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