Melodic

How to spell melodic

7 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce melodic

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does melodic mean?

1. adjectiveHaving a pleasant, tuneful arrangement of musical notes.

Melodic in a sentence

• The choir opened with a soft, melodic hymn that filled the hall.

• Critics praised the song for its melodic chorus and gentle pace.

Where does melodic come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word traces back to the Greek melōidia, meaning 'a singing' or 'a song set to music', which was itself a blend of melos, meaning 'a tune' or 'limb of a song', and aoidē, meaning 'singing' or 'song' (the same root that gives us 'ode'). Late Latin took this in as melodia, and from there it passed into Old French as melodie before reaching English. The base noun 'melody' was well established in English by the 1300s, and the adjective 'melodic', meaning 'of or relating to melody' or simply 'tuneful', was formed later, becoming common in the nineteenth century. The single 'l' and single 'd' are worth noting, since the unstressed middle vowel can tempt writers to misjudge the letters around it.

How the word is built

• melod- (from Greek melōidia: a singing of song)
• -ic (forming adjectives)