ode

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a formal lyric poem, often addressed to and celebrating or reflecting on a person, event, object, or idea

   The poet wrote an ode celebrating the night sky.

2. 2
   noun

   in ancient Greek tradition, a lyric song or poem composed for performance, often by a chorus with music and dance

   The ancient ode was performed by a chorus with music and dance.

Borrowed through French and Late Latin oda from Greek ode ("song"), a contracted form related to aeidein ("to sing"). The word first named songs for performance in Greek lyric traditions and later came to denote an elevated lyric poem in European literature.

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