song

song — noun

1. a piece of music created to be sung by a person, with lyrics that tell a story o

1.nounA1
Definition

a piece of music created to be sung by a person, with lyrics that tell a story or express feelings

Example

Liam sang his favorite song to the children at the school concert.

collocation: sang + favorite song

The old radio played a cheerful song that made everyone clap along.

Common collocations
  • sing a song
  • write a song
  • song about
  • favorite song
  • play a song
Synonyms
  • tune

    refers mainly to the melody, and can be instrumental; 'song' always includes lyrics

  • track

    refers to a recorded song on an album or playlist; more informal and modern

  • number

    a song performed as part of a show or concert program; suggests a single item in a set

Antonyms
  • silence

    absence of music or vocal sound

  • instrumental

    a piece of music without any singing or lyrics

Grammar Patterns

song + about + topic

song + for + person or occasion

Common Mistakes

She made a beautiful song.
She wrote a beautiful song.
In English, songs are 'written' or 'composed', not 'made'.
I hearing a song now.
I am listening to a song now.
The verb 'listen to' is used for hearing music by choice.

2. the activity of using your voice to produce musical sounds, thought of as a gene

2.nounA2
Definition

the activity of using your voice to produce musical sounds, thought of as a general practice or art

Example

Lakshmi broke into song while she was washing the dishes after dinner.

idiomatic phrase: broke into song

The audience burst into song when the famous tune began to play.

pattern: burst into song (uncountable noun)

Common collocations
  • burst into song
  • break into song
  • joy of song
  • love of song
Synonyms
  • singing

    more everyday and active; 'song' as an uncountable noun sounds more artistic or poetic

  • vocal music

    more formal and genre-specific, refers to music performed with voices

Antonyms
  • silence

    absence of any vocal music or singing

Grammar Patterns

burst into song

song as an art form

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable and does not take an article when referring to the general activity. It often appears in fixed phrases such as 'burst into song' or 'the joy of song'.

Common Mistakes

I love song.
I love singing.' or 'I love song as an art form.
When used uncountably for the general activity, it often needs context or a modifier to sound natural.

3. the pleasant set of notes a bird makes with its voice, especially when communica

3.nounA2
Definition

the pleasant set of notes a bird makes with its voice, especially when communicating with other birds or looking for a partner

Example

Lucas woke up early to the song of birds outside his window.

collocation: song of [plural] birds

The blackbird's song echoed through the quiet forest in the morning.

Common collocations
  • bird's song
  • song of a bird
  • sweet song
  • morning song
Synonyms
  • birdsong

    the same meaning as a single compound word; slightly more poetic or formal

  • call

    a simpler, shorter bird sound used for communication, less musical than a 'song'

Antonyms
  • noise

    unpleasant, harsh sound, opposite of the pleasant musical quality of birdsong

  • silence

    absence of bird sounds

Grammar Patterns

song of + bird species

Usage Note

Describes bird vocalizations specifically; for other animals use 'call' or 'sound'. Not used for mechanical or artificial sounds.

Common Mistakes

I heard the song of a dog outside.
I heard the song of a bird outside.' or 'I heard a dog barking.
'Song' for animals is used primarily for birds, not mammals.

4. an extremely low amount of money, much less than the usual value — almost always

4.nounB2
Definition

an extremely low amount of money, much less than the usual value — almost always used in the phrase 'for a song' meaning very cheaply

Example

Yael bought the old wooden desk for a song at the weekend market.

fixed phrase: for a song

The shop was selling winter coats for a song to clear the old stock.

Common collocations
  • for a song
  • buy for a song
  • sell for a song
Synonyms
  • bargain

    a thing bought for less than the usual price; 'for a song' describes the price, 'bargain' describes the purchase

  • steal

    an extremely good deal; more informal and emphatic than 'bargain'

Antonyms
  • fortune

    a very large amount of money, the opposite of the tiny sum implied by 'a song'

Grammar Patterns

for a song

Usage Note

Only used in the fixed prepositional phrase 'for a song'. Never used as a standalone countable noun (do not say 'I paid a song'). Always refers to the price of a purchase, not to the item itself.

Common Mistakes

I bought this for song.
I bought this for a song.
The fixed phrase always requires the article 'a' before 'song'.
He sold the car at a song.
He sold the car for a song.
The correct preposition is 'for', not 'at'.
Idioms

for a song

idiom

Bought or sold at a very low price.

Maya bought that antique vase for a song at the flea market.

The old car was sold for a song because it needed repairs.

on song

idiom

Performing at a very high level or working perfectly.

The pianist was on song during the entire concert.

Is the team on song for the championship this year?

sing from the same hymn/song sheet

idiom

To express the same opinions or messages as others in a group.

All the managers sang from the same song sheet at the meeting.

The politicians need to sing from the same hymn sheet on this issue.

a song and dance (about something)

idiom

Unnecessary fuss or complaints about something minor.

Diego made a song and dance about the missing pen.

Why are you making such a song and dance about a small mistake?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A song is a complete piece of music with both melody and lyrics, meant to be sung. A tune is a memorable melody — it can be the main musical line of a song, but it does not include words ('he hummed a tune'). A track refers specifically to a recorded song on an album or playlist, focusing on the audio recording rather than the composition ('track five on the CD'). Melody is the sequence of musical notes that forms the main part of a song; it can exist without lyrics, and a single song may have multiple melodic phrases. In everyday use, 'song' is the broadest term: you sing a song, listen to a track, hum a tune, and compose a melody.

tune ↗track ↗melody ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

Prepositions

  • song about (a topic: a song about love)
  • song for (a person or occasion: a song for her birthday)

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'song' comes from Old English 'sang' or 'song', which itself traces back to the Proto-Germanic '*sangwaz', meaning 'a singing, a song'. This Germanic root goes farther back to the Proto-Indo-European '*sengwh-', meaning 'to sing' or 'to make an incantation'. The word has been used for over a thousand years in English, and it is related to the modern verb 'sing' and the noun 'singer'. The sense of 'bird sound' emerged in Middle English, and the idiomatic use 'for a song' (meaning very cheaply) appeared in the late 1500s.