- 1[countable] a tune, especially the main tune in a piece of music written for several instruments or voices a haunting melody The melody is then taken up by the flutes. CollocationsMusicListening listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc. listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD put on/play a CD/a song/some music turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD download music/an album/a song/a demo/a videoPlaying play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby accompany a singer/choir strum a chord/guitarPerforming form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band give a performance/concert/recital do a concert/recital/gig play a concert/gig/festival/venue perform (British English) at/in a concert/(especially North American English) a concert appear at a festival/live go on/embark on a (world) tourRecording write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony land/get/sign a record deal be signed to/be dropped by a record company record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD be top of/top the charts get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebeautiful, flowing, gentle, … verb + melodyhum, play, sing, … See full entry See related entries: Describing music
- 2[countable] a piece of music or a song with a clear or simple tune old Irish melodies Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebeautiful, flowing, gentle, … verb + melodyhum, play, sing, … See full entry See related entries: Pieces of music
- 3[uncountable] the arrangement of musical notes in a tune a few bars of melody drifted towards us Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebeautiful, flowing, gentle, … verb + melodyhum, play, sing, … See full entry Word OriginMiddle English (also in the sense ‘sweet music’): from Old French melodie, via late Latin from Greek melōidia, from melos ‘song’. Wordfindersingbeat, harmony, melody, music, note, rhythm, sing, tempo, tone, vocalExtra examples Most of her songs have a bold melody. The clarinet carries the melody. A few bars of melody drifted towards us. He began playing a sad, haunting melody. The musicians were playing a selection of old Irish melodies.
melody
nounBrE BrE//ˈmelədi//; NAmE NAmE//ˈmelədi//
(pl. melodies) Describing music, Pieces of musicCheck pronunciation: melody
