lyric

Definitions

lyr (from Greek lyra, the lyre) + -ic (relating to) = 'relating to the lyre,' i.e. poetry sung to that instrument. From 'words sung to a lyre' came both modern senses: the words of a song, and short, personal, emotional verse.

Why It Means This

Originally 'lyric' meant verse sung to the lyre, which set it apart from epic (long narrative) and dramatic (plays) poetry. That ancient category — short, first-person, emotional — is why today both a pop song's words and a personal poem are called lyric. The instrument vanished from the meaning, but the feeling stayed.

Common Collocations

• 1.song lyrics歌词
• 2.write the lyrics写歌词
• 3.lyric poetry抒情诗
• 4.lyric soprano抒情女高音

Example Sentences

• 1.

  I love this song, but I can never remember the lyrics.

• 2.

  Her early work consists mostly of short lyric poems.

• 3.

  The opera was written for a lyric soprano.