melody

melody — noun

1. The most recognisable sequence of notes in a composition, typically played by on

1.nounB1
Definition

The most recognisable sequence of notes in a composition, typically played by one instrument or singer while other parts provide accompaniment.

Example

The violinist played a haunting melody that filled the concert hall.

adjective + melody: haunting melody

Arjun could not stop humming the main melody from the film soundtrack.

main melody — collocation for the central tune

Common collocations
  • main melody
  • carry the melody
  • play a melody
  • melody line
  • the melody of
Synonyms
  • tune

    more informal; implies something catchy and easy to remember

  • theme

    a main melody that is developed or repeated in a longer work, especially in film scores

  • lead

    informal term for the main melody in a band or ensemble

Antonyms
  • harmony

    the combination of notes played to support the melody

Grammar Patterns

the melody of [something]

[person] plays/sings a melody

Usage Note

Often used with 'carry' or 'play' to describe which instrument is responsible for the main tune. Contrast with 'harmony' — the supporting notes that accompany the melody.

Common Mistakes

She sang harmony while he played the melody.
She sang the harmony while he played the melody.
'harmony' and 'melody' both require a definite or indefinite article in this pattern.

2. A simple and pleasant tune, especially one that is easy to sing or remember, oft

2.nounB1
Definition

A simple and pleasant tune, especially one that is easy to sing or remember, often found in songs or folk music.

Example

Lucía sang a simple melody that the children quickly learned to repeat.

simple melody — adjective collocation for easy tunes

The melody of that old folk song always brings back memories of my grandmother.

Common collocations
  • simple melody
  • sweet melody
  • folk melody
  • hum a melody
  • whistle a melody
Synonyms
  • tune

    more everyday word for a simple, catchy melody

  • air

    old-fashioned or literary term for a melodious tune, especially in folk music

  • strain

    literary; refers to a passage of music or song

Grammar Patterns

[possessive] melody

a melody of [instrument/song type]

Usage Note

This sense emphasises the pleasant, memorable quality of a tune — it is the meaning most often used when talking about songs, nursery rhymes, and folk music. Frequently used with 'hum', 'whistle', or 'sing'.

Common Mistakes

I cannot get that melody out of my mind.
I cannot get that tune out of my head.
'tune' is more idiomatic than 'melody' in this fixed expression.

3. A structured sequence of single notes arranged in a particular order to form a r

3.nounB2
Definition

A structured sequence of single notes arranged in a particular order to form a recognizable and meaningful musical unit.

Example

The composer wrote a melody that rises and falls like a gentle wave.

melody + verb of movement: rises and falls

Kian could recognize the melody after hearing just the first three notes.

Common collocations
  • repeated melody
  • rising melody
  • falling melody
  • melody pattern
  • melodic interval
Synonyms
  • melodic line

    more technical; refers to the horizontal progression of notes

  • voice

    in counterpoint, each independent melody is called a voice

  • subject

    in a fugue, the main melody or theme introduced at the beginning

Grammar Patterns

a melody of [notes/intervals]

[adjective] melody [verb]

Usage Note

This is the most technical sense, used in music theory and analysis. It focuses on the structural arrangement of pitches rather than the emotional or pleasant quality. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 identifies the melody as 'the main tune' in context, while sense 3 describes the melody as a formal pattern of notes.

Common Mistakes

This melody uses a lot of high pitch notes.
This melody uses a lot of high-pitched notes.
when modifying 'notes', use the compound adjective 'high-pitched'.

Word family

  • melodic
    adjectiveB2
  • melodious
    adjectiveB2
  • melodically
    adverbC1
  • melodiousness
    nounC2
  • melodist
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all these words refer to a recognizable sequence of notes, "melody" is the broadest term for the main musical line in a composition. "Tune" is more informal and strongly suggests a simple, catchy melody that is easy to hum or whistle — people ask "What's that tune?" on the radio, not "What's that melody?" "Theme" refers to a central melody that is developed and varied throughout a longer piece, especially in film scores or symphonies (the theme from Schindler's List). "Motif" is a short, recurring melodic fragment, often associated with a specific character or idea in program music. "Refrain" is the repeated section of a song, typically at the end of each verse. To illustrate: the main melody of the film's soundtrack became a popular tune on streaming services, while a specific motif in the low strings hinted at the villain's entrance, and the chorus's refrain kept the audience singing along.

tune ↗theme ↗motif ↗refrain

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • carry the melody
  • follow the melody
  • melody and harmony
  • a melody plays
  • melody rises and falls

Adjectives

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word "melody" entered English from Old French "melodie", which came from Latin "melodia" meaning 'a pleasant song'. The Latin term was borrowed from Greek "melōidía" (μελῳδία), which combines "melos" (μέλος) — meaning 'song' or 'limb' — and "aeidein" (ἀείδειν) — meaning 'to sing'. So the original sense was literally 'singing a song'. The word first appeared in English around the 13th century and gradually took on its modern musical meaning of an organised sequence of notes.