music

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Sounds arranged in a pleasing way using melody, rhythm, and harmony.

   I keep listening to this music because I love it.

2. 2
   noun

   The activity of singing or playing instruments.

   Music is my favourite subject at school.

3. 3
   noun

   Any pleasant or beautiful sound.

   Her gentle voice was pure music to his ears.

Common collocations

• pop music Adjective + noun
• play music Verb + noun
• classical music Adjective + noun
• live music Adjective + noun
• make music Verb + noun
• record music Verb + noun
• background music Adjective + noun
• compose music Verb + noun

From Middle English musik, musike, borrowed from Anglo-Norman musik, musike, Old French musique, and their source Latin mūsica, from Ancient Greek μουσική (mousikḗ), from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa, “Muse”), an Ancient Greek deity of the arts. By surface analysis, muse + -ic (“pertaining to”). In this sense, displaced native Old English drēam (“music”), whence Modern English dream.

Topics