ode
UK[əʊd]US[oʊd]
n
A lyric poem, typically one addressed to a particular subject, written in an elevated style and expressing deep feeling.
Etymology
The word 'ode' entered English in the late 16th century via Middle French from Latin 'oda', which itself was borrowed from Greek 'ōidē', meaning 'song' or 'chant'. The Greek term is derived from the verb 'aeidein', meaning 'to sing', which has its roots in the Proto-Indo-European base h₂wedʰ-, meaning 'to sing' or 'to utter rhythmically'. Thus, the modern English meaning of a formal, lyrical poem retains the core ancient concept of a structured, musical composition intended for vocal performance, though it is now primarily a written literary form.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Greek. It is not productively formed from smaller, separable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The poet composed an ode to the beauty of the autumn landscape.
Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale" is a celebrated example of the Romantic form.
She wrote a heartfelt ode to her hometown, capturing its unique spirit.