noun
coda
KOH-duh
Coda (noun) means a passage that brings a piece of music to a close, added after the main structure has finished. Example: “The symphony ends with a quiet coda for strings alone.”
noun
1
music A passage that brings a piece of music to a close, added after the main structure has finished.
"The symphony ends with a quiet coda for strings alone."
"He repeated the theme once more in the coda."
2
A concluding part of a book, film, speech or series of events that rounds it off or adds a final reflection.
"A short coda describes what became of the family twenty years later."
"The trial served as a grim coda to the whole affair."
3
linguistics The consonant or consonants that follow the vowel at the end of a syllable.
"In the word cats, the coda is the sequence ts."
"Some languages allow no coda at all."
How to use coda
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe bit added at the end that finishes something off.
When to use it
Common in music criticism and book reviewing; slightly literary in general prose. The plural is codas.
Memory tip
Write coda to something, not coda of something: a coda to the war.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
a fitting coda
serve as a coda
a brief coda
coda to the story
the final coda
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Fill the gap
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The symphony ends with a quiet _____ for strings alone.
Etymology
From Italian coda meaning tail, from Latin cauda.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for coda
See all rhymes for coda →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a coda and an epilogue?
An epilogue is a section of a story set after the main events, usually in prose. A coda is broader: it can be musical, narrative or figurative, and it functions as a rounding-off rather than necessarily a jump forward in time.
What is the difference between a coda and a cadenza?
A cadenza is a showy solo passage, often improvised, that displays a performer's skill before the ending. A coda is the closing section itself and is written into the piece.
Does CODA in capitals mean the same thing?
No. CODA as an acronym stands for child of deaf adults and describes a hearing person raised by deaf parents. It is unrelated to the musical word.
What is the meaning of coda?
"coda" (noun) means a passage that brings a piece of music to a close, added after the main structure has finished.
