1
: the act or art of singing
2
: poetical composition
3
a
: a short musical composition of words and music
b
: a collection of such compositions
4
: a distinctive or characteristic sound or series of sounds (as of a bird, insect, or whale)
5
a
: a melody for a lyric poem or ballad
b
: a poem easily set to music
6
a
: a habitual or characteristic manner
b
: a violent, abusive, or noisy reaction
put up quite a song
7
: a small amount
sold for a song
songlike adjective

Example Sentences

He sang a love song. The song was playing on the radio. The event was celebrated in song by a folk group. I could hear the song of a sparrow.
Recent Examples on the Web No song in this show is more anticipated than its title tune. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2023 Every song, some of which are self-produced, has room for his voice to breathe and his words to sink in. Max Bell, SPIN, 30 May 2023 Unsurprisingly, these Apple AirPods have racked up quite the roster of raving reviewers, who appreciate the long battery life, quick access to Siri, and the ability to click and pause and skip songs. Claire Harmeyer, Peoplemag, 29 May 2023 The artist has also commented on the issue in songs, such as OverHeated, as well as Not My Responsibility, a spoken word piece and short film posted to her YouTube channel. Shania Russell, EW.com, 29 May 2023 In the capital, Ankara, the sounds of his supporters’ celebrations boomed into the early hours of the morning as men, women and children carried flags through the streets and campaign buses blasted songs in the president’s honor. Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post, 29 May 2023 Bruce Springsteen previously made headlines in December 2021 with the sale of his song catalog, with the total in the vicinity of $500 million. Chloe Melas, CNN, 28 May 2023 Queen Charlotte follows the lead of Bridgerton seasons one and two with stunning orchestral covers of pop songs. Town & Country, 28 May 2023 So anyone could copy an A.I. song and distribute it, without having to pay for the rights. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 27 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'song.' 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

Middle English, from Old English sang; akin to Old English singan to sing

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of song was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near song

Cite this Entry

“Song.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/song. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

song

noun
1
: the act or art of singing
2
: poetical composition : poetry
3
: a short piece of music with words intended to be sung
4
: a characteristic sound or series of sounds (as of a bird)
5
a
: a melody for a lyric poem or ballad
b
: a poem easily set to music
6
: a small amount
can be bought for a song

More from Merriam-Webster on song

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!