lyrical
LIH-rih-kuhl
Lyrical (adj) means expressing deep emotion in a flowing, song-like, or poetic way. Example: “The novel's lyrical prose made even ordinary scenes feel beautiful.”
adj
1
Expressing deep emotion in a flowing, song-like, or poetic way.
"The novel's lyrical prose made even ordinary scenes feel beautiful."
"Critics praised the film's lyrical, dreamlike visuals."
2
Enthusiastic and effusive in speech, especially when praising something.
"He waxed lyrical about his hometown for a full ten minutes."
How to use lyrical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes writing or speech that's emotional, flowing, and poetic, or someone speaking with great enthusiasm.
Common pairings
wax lyrical
lyrical prose
lyrical quality
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more lyrical
- Superlative
- most lyrical
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The novel's _____ prose made even ordinary scenes feel beautiful.
Etymology
From "lyric" plus the adjective suffix "-al".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for lyrical
See all rhymes for lyrical →Frequently asked questions
What does “lyrical” mean?
The word “lyrical” means expressing deep emotion in a flowing, song-like, or poetic way. In plain terms, describes writing or speech that's emotional, flowing, and poetic, or someone speaking with great enthusiasm.
How do you pronounce “lyrical”?
“Lyrical” is pronounced LIH-rih-kuhl (/ˈlɪɹɪkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “lyrical” in a sentence?
Here is “lyrical” used in a sentence: “The novel's lyrical prose made even ordinary scenes feel beautiful.”
What part of speech is “lyrical”?
“Lyrical” is an adjective.
Is “lyrical” a common word?
“Lyrical” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
How many meanings does “lyrical” have?
“Lyrical” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: expressing deep emotion in a flowing, song-like, or poetic way.
