rhapsody
/ˈɹæpsədi/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.01 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An epic poem, or part of one, suitable for uninterrupted recitation.
noun
An exaggeratedly enthusiastic or exalted expression of feeling in speech or writing.
noun
An instrumental composition of irregular form, often incorporating improvisation.
noun
A random collection or medley; a miscellany; also, a confused string of stories, words, etc.
Archaic
Example Sentences
- "Of course here Mr. Pen went off into a rhapsody through which, as we have perfect command over our own feelings, we have no reason to follow the lad. Of course, love, truth, and eternity were produced: and words were tried but found impossible to plumb the tremendous depth of his affection."
- "Such an act / That blurs the grace and blush of modesty; / Calls virtue hypocrite; takes off the rose / From the fair forehead of an innocent love / And sets a blister there; makes marriage vows / As false as dicers' oaths; O, such a deed / As from the body of contraction plucks / The very soul, and sweet religion makes / A rhapsody of words!"
- "This concerneth not those mingle-mangles of many kinds of stuffe, or as the Grecians call them Rapsodies, that for such are published[…]."
- "He, that makes no reflexions on what he reads, only loads his mind with a rhapsody of tales fit for the entertainment of others."
Etymology
The noun is derived from Latin rhapsōdia (“part of an epic poem suitable for uninterrupted recitation”), from Koine Greek ῥαψῳδία (rhapsōidía, “part of an epic poem suitable for uninterrupted recitation; rigmarole”), Ancient Greek ῥαψῳδία (rhapsōidía, “composition or recitation of Epic poetry”), from ῥαψῳδός (rhapsōidós, “composer or performer of Epic poetry”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). Ῥαψῳδός (Rhapsōidós) is derived from ῥᾰ́πτω (rhắptō, “to sew”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *werb- (“to bend; to turn”)) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “ode; song”) + -ος (-os, suffix forming o-grade action nouns). Sense 2.2 (“instrumental composition of irregular form”) probably developed from sense 2.1 (“exaggeratedly enthusiastic or exalted expression of feeling in speech or writing”), and both of these senses may have been influenced by rapture (“extreme excitement, happiness, or pleasure”), the latter being a quality associated with the senses. Sense 2.3 (“literary composition consisting of miscellaneous works”) is borrowed from Middle French rhapsodie (modern French rhapsodie), from Latin rhapsōdia: see above. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * French rhapsodie (“instrumental composition of irregular form”) * German Rhapsodie (“instrumental composition of irregular form”)
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *werb-, rhapsōdia, ῥαψῳδία
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɹæpsədi/
- British English: /ˈɹæpsədi/
Usage
Inflected Forms
rhapsodies (plural)
rhapsodies (present, singular)
rhapsodying (participle, present)
rhapsodied (participle, past)
rhapsodied (past)