lyric

lyric — noun

1. The written words that someone sings in a song — the text that goes with the tun

1.nounB1
Definition

The written words that someone sings in a song — the text that goes with the tune, as opposed to the musical melody or instrumental part.

Example

Ryo read the song's lyrics while listening to the melody for the first time.

The teacher asked the students to write down the lyrics of their favourite song.

Common collocations
  • lyrics of/to a song
  • write lyrics
  • sing lyrics
  • read lyrics
  • memorize lyrics
  • song lyrics
  • album lyrics
  • print the lyrics
Synonyms
  • words

    simpler and more general; 'the words of the song' works in everyday conversation but is less specific than 'lyrics'

  • text

    more formal; used in academic or analytical contexts ('the text of the ballad')

Grammar Patterns

the lyrics of/to [song]

lyrics about [topic]

song lyrics

Usage Note

The plural form 'lyrics' is far more common than the singular 'lyric' when referring to the complete text of a song. The singular 'lyric' is occasionally used for a single line or phrase within a song.

Common Mistakes

I love the lyric of this song (meaning all the words).
I love the lyrics of this song.
Use the plural 'lyrics' when referring to the entire set of words; the singular 'lyric' for a song is rare and confusing.
She wrote the lyric for the music (meaning the complete text).
She wrote the lyrics for the track.
Even if a song has only a few lines, the standard form is plural 'lyrics'.

2. A brief poem in which the writer shares their own inner emotions, personal refle

2.nounB2
Definition

A brief poem in which the writer shares their own inner emotions, personal reflections, or individual experiences, often composed in a style that feels musical or song-like.

Example

The anthology opens with a beautiful lyric about loneliness written by a young poet.

lyric + prepositional phrase 'about [subject]'

Lakan studied a lyric by William Blake for his poetry assignment.

collocation: study a lyric

Common collocations
  • write a lyric
  • publish a lyric
  • a lyric about [subject]
  • love lyric
  • Romantic lyric
Synonyms
  • poem

    a general term; a lyric is a specific type of short, emotional poem

  • sonnet

    a 14-line poem with a fixed rhyme scheme; more structurally defined than a lyric

  • ode

    longer and usually addresses or praises a specific subject

Antonyms
  • epic

    a long narrative poem about heroic deeds, opposite in length and scope

Grammar Patterns

a lyric about [subject]

[author]'s lyrics

Usage Note

A 'lyric' in this sense refers specifically to a type of poem — shorter and more personal than an 'ode' or an 'elegy'. This meaning is almost entirely restricted to literary discussion and poetry analysis.

Common Mistakes

I heard a beautiful lyric on the radio this morning (meaning a song).
I heard a beautiful song on the radio this morning.
The word 'lyric' as a noun for a poem is not used for musical recordings; use 'song' in everyday conversation.
He published a collection of lyrics (meaning poems).
He published a collection of lyric poems.
Although 'lyrics' exists as a plural, it is easily confused with song words; use 'lyric poems' for clarity.

lyric — adjective

Word family

  • lyrical
    adjectiveB1
  • lyrically
    adverbC1
  • lyricist
    nounC1
  • lyricism
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The words of a song are most commonly called 'lyrics' in everyday English. 'Words' is a simpler, more general term that works in casual conversation ('I love the words of this song'), but it lacks the precision of referring specifically to a song's written component — it could apply to any text. 'Text' is more formal and is often used in academic or analytical contexts ('the text of the ballad has been studied by scholars'), though it never replaces 'lyrics' in a music fan's vocabulary. 'Libretto' is a specialized term for the words of an opera, oratorio, or musical — never use it for pop songs. For example: 'She printed the lyrics so she could practise'; 'The text of the folk song carries political meaning'; 'The libretto was written by the composer's brother for the opera.'

lyricswordstext ↗libretto

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • lyrics to a song
  • lyrics of a track

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'lyric' comes from Latin 'lyricus', meaning 'of or for the lyre', which in turn came from Greek 'lyrikos' — 'singing to the lyre'. In ancient Greece, a lyre (a small stringed instrument) was used to accompany short, emotional poems performed aloud. Over time, the word came to describe not just the musical instrument but the personal, song-like poetry that was sung with it. By the 16th century, English had adopted 'lyric' for both the poem itself and, later, the words of a modern song.