LYRIC

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does lyric mean? 

• LYRIC (noun)
  The noun LYRIC has 2 senses:

1. the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number

2. a short poem of songlike quality

  Familiarity information: LYRIC used as a noun is rare.

• LYRIC (adjective)
  The adjective LYRIC has 4 senses:

1. expressing deep emotion

2. used of a singer or singing voice that is light in volume and modest in range

3. relating to or being musical drama

4. of or relating to a category of poetry that expresses emotion (often in a songlike way)

  Familiarity information: LYRIC used as an adjective is uncommon.

• LYRIC (verb)
  The verb LYRIC has 1 sense:

1. write lyrics for (a song)

  Familiarity information: LYRIC used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LYRIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The text of a popular song or musical-comedy number

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

language; lyric; words

Context example:

the song uses colloquial language

Hypernyms ("lyric" is a kind of...):

text; textual matter (the words of something written)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lyric"):

love lyric (the lyric of a love song)

Holonyms ("lyric" is a part of...):

song; vocal (a short musical composition with words)

Derivation:

lyric (write lyrics for (a song))

lyricist (a person who writes the words for songs)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A short poem of songlike quality

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

lyric; lyric poem

Hypernyms ("lyric" is a kind of...):

poem; verse form (a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines)

Meronyms (parts of "lyric"):

strophe (one section of a lyric poem or choral ode in classical Greek drama)

antistrophe (the section of a choral ode answering a previous strophe in classical Greek drama; the second of two metrically corresponding sections in a poem)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lyric"):

ode (a lyric poem with complex stanza forms)

• LYRIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Expressing deep emotion

Synonyms:

lyric; lyrical

Context example:

the dancer's lyrical performance

Similar:

emotional (of more than usual emotion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Used of a singer or singing voice that is light in volume and modest in range

Context example:

a lyric soprano

Domain category:

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Antonym:

dramatic (used of a singer or singing voice that is marked by power and expressiveness and a histrionic or theatrical style)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Relating to or being musical drama

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

the lyric stage

Domain category:

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Pertainym:

opera (a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Of or relating to a category of poetry that expresses emotion (often in a songlike way)

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

lyric poetry

Domain category:

poesy; poetry; verse (literature in metrical form)

Pertainym:

lyric (a short poem of songlike quality)

• LYRIC (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Write lyrics for (a song)

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "lyric" is one way to...):

compose; indite; pen; write (produce a literary work)

Domain category:

poesy; poetry; verse (literature in metrical form)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lyric"):

relyric (write new lyrics for (a song))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

lyric (the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number)

 Context examples 

Martin wrote immediately, begging the editor to cease publishing the lyrics and to return them to him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Without deliberately thinking about it, motifs for love-lyrics began to agitate his brain.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Whenever there was a pause in the song she filled it with gasping broken sobs and then took up the lyric again in a quavering soprano.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)