noun
rhapsody
RAP-suh-dee
Rhapsody (noun) means a piece of music with a free, flowing structure, often mixing different moods and sometimes improvised passages. Example: “Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" blends jazz and classical styles.”
noun
1
A piece of music with a free, flowing structure, often mixing different moods and sometimes improvised passages.
"Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" blends jazz and classical styles."
2
An outpouring of enthusiastic, almost overexcited praise or feeling.
"He went into a rhapsody about the sunset over the valley."
verb
1
To speak or write about something with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"She rhapsodized about the restaurant for a full ten minutes."
How to use rhapsody
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a free-flowing musical piece or an over-the-top gushing expression of enthusiasm.
Common pairings
rhapsody in blue
go into a rhapsody
rhapsodize about
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Word forms
- Plural
- rhapsodies
- Third person singular
- rhapsodies
- Past tense
- rhapsodied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Gershwin's "_____ in Blue" blends jazz and classical styles.
Etymology
From Greek rhapsōidia, "a part of an epic poem recited aloud," from rhaptein ("to sew, stitch together") plus ōidē ("song") — literally "stitched-together song."
Rhymes for rhapsody
See all rhymes for rhapsody →Frequently asked questions
What does “rhapsody” mean?
The word “rhapsody” means a piece of music with a free, flowing structure, often mixing different moods and sometimes improvised passages. In plain terms, either a free-flowing musical piece or an over-the-top gushing expression of enthusiasm.
How do you pronounce “rhapsody”?
“Rhapsody” is pronounced RAP-suh-dee (/ˈɹæpsədi/ in IPA).
How do you use “rhapsody” in a sentence?
Here is “rhapsody” used in a sentence: “Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" blends jazz and classical styles.”
What part of speech is “rhapsody”?
Depending on how it is used, “rhapsody” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “rhapsody” come from?
The word “rhapsody” comes from Greek. From Greek rhapsōidia, "a part of an epic poem recited aloud," from rhaptein ("to sew, stitch together") plus ōidē ("song") — literally "stitched-together song.".
How many meanings does “rhapsody” have?
“Rhapsody” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a piece of music with a free, flowing structure, often mixing different moods and sometimes improvised passages.
