rhapsody

C2 Topic:Art & Music

US /ˈræpsədi/ UK /ˈræpsədi/ See IPA manual

Freq #35833

Meanings

1

noun
an intensely enthusiastic or emotional expression in speech or writing

He launched into a rhapsody about the beauty of the city at dawn.
2

noun
a free-form musical composition of strongly contrasting moods or ideas

The orchestra performed a rhapsody built from several folk melodies.
3

noun
an epic poem, or a section of one, intended for continuous recitation

The scholar identified the passage as a rhapsody from the ancient epic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an intensely enthusiastic... effusion outpouring panegyric

2 noun · a free-form musical... composition

3 noun · an epic poem, or a section... epic recitation

Opposites

restraintunderstatement

Word family

Forms rhapsodically

Derived forms rhapsodicrhapsodist rhapsodize

Related forms rhapsodeepic ode

Etymology

Through Latin rhapsodia from Greek rhapsodia, 'the composition or recitation of epic poetry,' from rhaptein, 'to stitch,' and oide, 'song.' The musical and emotional senses preserve the idea of an extended, freely assembled performance.

Topics

Art & Music

External links

# rhapsody

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈræpsədi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈræpsədi/
**Frequency rank:** 35833

## Meanings
1. an intensely enthusiastic or emotional expression in speech or writing
2. a free-form musical composition of strongly contrasting moods or ideas
3. an epic poem, or a section of one, intended for continuous recitation

## Examples
- He launched into a rhapsody about the beauty of the city at dawn.
- The orchestra performed a rhapsody built from several folk melodies.
- The scholar identified the passage as a rhapsody from the ancient epic.

## Synonyms
- effusion
- outpouring
- panegyric
- composition

## Antonyms
- restraint
- understatement

## Derived Forms
- rhapsodic
- rhapsodist
- rhapsodize

## Related Forms
- rhapsode
- epic
- ode

## Etymology
Through Latin rhapsodia from Greek rhapsodia, 'the composition or recitation of epic poetry,' from rhaptein, 'to stitch,' and oide, 'song.' The musical and emotional senses preserve the idea of an extended, freely assembled performance.

## Topics
- Art & Music

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