melody

The word “melody” means a sequence of musical notes that forms a recognisable tune. In plain terms, the tune of a piece of music — the part you could hum or whistle.

“Melody” is pronounced MEHL-uh-dee (/ˈmɛl.ə.di/ in IPA).

Here is “melody” used in a sentence: “She hummed the melody without remembering the words.”

“Melody” is a noun.

The word “melody” comes from Latin. From Old French melodie, from Latin melodia, from Greek melōidia ("singing"), built from melos ("tune") and aoide ("song").

“Melody” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

A melody is the single sequence of musical notes that forms the recognisable tune, sung or played as the main line. Harmony refers to the combination of different notes played together to support that tune, so melody is horizontal (one note after another) while harmony is vertical (notes stacked together).

Melody is about which notes are played and in what order, creating the tune you hum. Rhythm is about timing — the pattern of long and short beats — and can exist even without a melody, such as in a drum part.

Yes, melody is sometimes used figuratively to describe something pleasing and flowing, such as "the melody of her voice," though its core meaning remains tied to a sequence of musical notes forming a tune.