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. 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.

Other Word Forms

• lyrically adverb
• lyricalness noun
• nonlyric adjective
• nonlyrical adjective
• nonlyrically adverb
• nonlyricalness noun
• semilyric adjective
• semilyrical adjective
• semilyrically adverb
• unlyric adjective
• unlyrical adjective
• unlyrically adverb
• unlyricalness 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

If there is one lyric that sums up Lily Allen’s new album, it’s “You moved the goal posts, you’ve broken the rules/ I tried to accommodate, but you took me for a fool.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Listen to the lyrics of those songs and what they’re saying — it’s all uplifting.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Allen has suggested that some of the songs are written "in character", saying that the lyrics "could be considered autofiction" - a genre that combines autobiography and fiction.

Read more on BBC

In his lyrics and comments on stage, the popular artist expresses his dreams for an independent Quebec.

Read more on Barron's

“There’s so much beauty in Cyndi’s lyrics about dreaming big and using hope as a fuel,” said book writer Theresa Rebeck.

Read more on Los Angeles Times