ode

[ ohd ]
/ oʊd /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR ode ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion.
(originally) a poem intended to be sung.
Compare Horatian ode, Pindaric ode.

Origin of ode

1580–90; < Middle French < Late Latin ōda < Greek ōidḗ, contraction of aoidḗ song, derivative of aeídein to sing

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ode

ode owed

Words nearby ode

odds are, the, odds-on, oddsbodikins, oddside, oddsmaker, ode, ode on a grecian urn, ode to a nightingale, ode to the west wind, odea, odelsting

Definition for ode (2 of 3)

-ode 1

a suffix of nouns, appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “like”; used in the formation of compound words: phyllode.
Compare -oid.

Origin of -ode

1
< Greek -ōdēs, probably generalized from adjectives describing smells, as kēṓdēs smelling like incense; base ōd- of ózein to smell, give off odor

Definition for ode (3 of 3)

-ode 2

a combining form meaning “way,” “road,” used in the formation of compound words: anode; electrode.

Origin of -ode

2
< Greek -odos, combining form of hodós

ABOUT THIS WORD

What else does ode mean?

In literature, an ode is a type of lyrical poem enthusiastically praising a person or event. The slang ode, pronounced [ oh-dee ], is an intensifying adverb meaning “really” or “very.”

How is ode pronounced?

[ ohd ] or [ oh-dee ]

What are other forms of ode?

odee

What are some other words related to ode?

Where does ode come from?

The ancient Greeks can be thanked for the original ode, poems that exalted individuals, actions, or nature. Famous ode writers over the centuries include the Greek Pindar, the Roman Horace, and, in the English language, John Keats. The word ode, from a Greek word meaning “song” or “chant,” is recorded in English in the 1500s.

The word ode is often found in the construction ode to X, with X being the object of the poem or other artistic work’s praise.

The slang ode (or odee) emerged as a substitute for “really” or “very” by 2009. It appears to be a phonetic spelling of the acronym for overdose, OD, whose original sense was extended to the idea of doing something to an extreme extent, hence “really” or “very.”

How is ode used in real life?

Outside of more formal literature, art, and music, ode is used as a term for “heightened praise” more generally (e.g., an ode to cute animal pictures). Very often, the grand scale of ode is used this way in a humorous manner, praising more mundane objects, such as bathrobes or coffee, for the joy they give people in their everyday lives.

Ode for “very” is found in slang. It carries a sense of exaggeration, much like the slang mad or hella. Extremely tired? Ode tired. Extremely late? Ode late. Really into someone? Ode attracted.

 

More examples of ode:

“An ode to Adventure Time, one of TV’s most ambitious—and yes, most adventurous, shows”

—Dan Schindel, Vox (headline), September 2018

Words related to ode

song, rhyme, poesy, verse, lyric, composition, ballad, sonnet, limerick, epode

Example sentences from the Web for ode

British Dictionary definitions for ode (1 of 3)

ode
/ (əʊd) /

noun

a lyric poem, typically addressed to a particular subject, with lines of varying lengths and complex rhythms See also Horatian ode, Pindaric ode
(formerly) a poem meant to be sung

Word Origin for ode

C16: via French from Late Latin ōda, from Greek ōidē, from aeidein to sing

British Dictionary definitions for ode (2 of 3)

-ode 1

n combining form

denoting resemblance nematode

Word Origin for -ode

from Greek -ōdēs, from eidos shape, form

British Dictionary definitions for ode (3 of 3)

-ode 2

n combining form

denoting a path or way electrode

Word Origin for -ode

from Greek -odos, from hodos a way

Medical definitions for ode

-ode

suff.

Way; path:electrode.

Cultural definitions for ode

ode

A kind of poem devoted to the praise of a person, animal, or thing. An ode is usually written in an elevated style and often expresses deep feeling. An example is “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” by John Keats.