lyric

[lir-ik] /ˈlɪr ɪk/
adjective, Also, lyrical
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
7.
a lyric poem.
8.
Often, lyrics. the words of a song.
Origin
1575-85; < Latin lyricus < Greek lyrikós. See lyre, -ic
Related 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
Examples from the web for lyric
  • But it quickly descended into a debate about what makes a song lyric bad.
  • One noticeable difference, however, is that every lyric has been replaced by their studio engineer singing the word meow.
  • He lost patience with it once computers were brought in and obscenity cluttered the lyric line.
  • Both pieces of art slam you with a short burst of lyric intensity, then leave you to think about it.
  • Perhaps, however, there is more logic in lyric choice than even writers and singers themselves are aware.
  • The author's lyric style brings past and present alive and unites them as one.
  • Trends for more meaningful, comforting, and romantic lyric ratings were observed in more threatening social and economic times.
  • He never did anything in lyric verse to compare with it.
  • And within the realm of the lyric he confined himself to the narrowest range of ideas.
  • He has left us a few songs which rank high even in an age which was transcendently great in lyric power and melody.
British Dictionary definitions for lyric

lyric

/ˈlɪrɪk/
adjective
1.
(of poetry)
  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
6.
a short poem of songlike quality
7.
(pl) the words of a popular song
Also (for senses 1–4) lyrical
Derived Forms
lyrically, adverb
lyricalness, noun
Word Origin
C16: from Latin lyricus, from Greek lurikos, from luralyre
Word Origin and History for lyric
n.

"a lyric poem," 1580s, from Middle French lyrique "short poem expressing personal emotion," from Latin lyricus "of or for the lyre," from Greek lyrikos "singing to the lyre," from lyra (see lyre). Meaning "words of a popular song" is first recorded 1876. Related: lyrics.

lyric in Culture

lyric definition


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.

lyric in Technology


Language for Your Remote Instruction by Computer. A CAI language implemented as a Fortran preprocessor.
["Computer Assisted Instruction: Specification of Attributes for CAI Programs and Programmers", G.M. Silvern et al, Proc ACM 21st Natl Conf (1966)].
(1994-10-12)