melodrama
UK[ˈmelədrɑːmə]US[ˈmelədrɑːmə]
n
a story, play, or film in which exciting things happen and the characters show very strong emotions, often in a way that is exaggerated and not believable.
n
a situation or series of events in which people show too much emotion or react more strongly than is necessary.
Morpheme Breakdown
melo
drama
melo
song
drama
drama
Etymology
the word melodrama is a modern english formation, directly combining two greek-derived elements. the first part, 'melo-', originates from the greek 'melos', which meant a song, tune, or musical phrase. the second part, 'drama', comes from the greek 'drama', meaning an action, deed, or theatrical play. historically, the term was used in the 19th century for a specific genre of play that featured musical accompaniment to underscore the emotional action. the literal combination of "music" and "drama" logically evolved into its current abstract meaning, referring to any narrative or situation characterized by exaggerated emotions and sensational plot elements, mirroring the heightened effect once provided by the musical score.
Analysis
Structure: melo (song) + drama (drama)
- melo: from greek 'melos' meaning song, tune, or music. functions as a combining form indicating music.
- drama: from greek 'drama' meaning action, deed, or play. functions as the base word for a theatrical performance.
Examples
the film was a classic melodrama, full of fainting heroines and mustache-twirling villains.
there's no need for all this melodrama; it's just a minor disagreement.
her account of the meeting turned into a complete melodrama.