lyric

[ lir-ik ]

adjective

1. (of poetry) having the form and musical quality of a song, and especially the character of a songlike outpouring of the poet's own thoughts and feelings, as distinguished from epic and dramatic poetry.
2. pertaining to or writing lyric poetry:

   a lyric poet.

3. characterized by or expressing spontaneous, direct feeling:

   a lyric song; lyric writing.

4. pertaining to, rendered by, or employing singing.
5. (of a voice) relatively light of volume and modest in range:

   a lyric soprano.

6. pertaining, adapted, or sung to the lyre, or composing poems to be sung to the lyre:

   ancient Greek lyric odes.

noun

1. a lyric poem.
2. Often lyrics. the words of a song.

lyric

/ ˈlɪrɪk /

adjective

1. of poetry
   1. expressing the writer's personal feelings and thoughts
   2. having the form and manner of a song
2. of or relating to such poetry
3. (of music) having songlike qualities
4. (of a singing voice) having a light quality and tone
5. intended for singing, esp (in classical Greece) to the accompaniment of the lyre

noun

1. a short poem of songlike quality
2. plural the words of a popular song

lyric

1. A kind of poetry, generally short, characterized by a musical use of language. Lyric poetry often involves the expression of intense personal emotion. The elegy , the ode , and the sonnet are forms of the lyric poem.

Derived Forms

• ˈlyrically, adverb
• ˈlyricalness, noun

Other Words From

• lyri·cal·ly adverb
• lyri·cal·ness noun
• non·lyric adjective
• non·lyri·cal adjective
• non·lyri·cal·ly adverb
• non·lyri·cal·ness noun
• semi·lyric adjective
• semi·lyri·cal adjective
• semi·lyri·cal·ly adverb
• un·lyric adjective
• un·lyri·cal adjective
• un·lyri·cal·ly adverb
• un·lyri·cal·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lyric¹

1575–85; < Latin lyricus < Greek lyrikós. See lyre, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of lyric¹

C16: from Latin lyricus, from Greek lurikos, from lura lyre

Example Sentences

The day before the closing news dropped, Jake Shears, who composed the musical’s lyrics, celebrated how far “Tammy Faye” has come.

From Los Angeles Times

In one verse, Saldaña sings/raps Spanish lyrics that translate to: “The chemist, he recently had his business partner and family killed / All to the slaughter! / And what did they do with the corpses? / Acid!”

From Los Angeles Times

Although no one is really meant to hear them, all of Wise’s melodies have lyrics, he said.

From New York Times

Those in the audience enthusiastically repeated the lyrics written on a large white sheet, trying to soak in as many words as possible ahead of the rally.

From BBC

Over the years, the song's lyrics have been criticised for their patronising portrayal of Africa as a barren land that needed rescuing by Western intervention.

From BBC