ode

1 of 2

noun

ˈōd 

plural odes

1

: a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style, varying length of line, and complexity of stanza forms

Keats's ode "To a Nightingale"

2

: something that shows respect for or celebrates the worth or influence of another : homage

The museum would be an ode to visual storytelling, drawn from the director's collection of film ephemera and fine art.

—Chanan Tigay

The recipe is an ode to my homeland, Vietnam, and I'd like to share it with my new friends in America.

—Gourmet

odist

ˈō-dist 

noun

-ode

2 of 2

noun combining form

1

: way : path

electrode

2

: electrode

diode

Examples of ode in a Sentence

Noun

This poem is titled, “An Ode to My Mother.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The little one was dressed in a grey onesie covered in brown footballs – an ode to her 29-year-old Kansas City Chiefs quarterback father. —John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025

The evening opened with that country’s national anthem, an ode to their current corps of Aussies who’ve followed a pipeline of stars such as past Gaels Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Jock Landale, all of whom have their numbers retired in St. Mary’s rafters. —Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2025

The display also features an ode to hongbao (red envelopes) containing monetary gifts that elder family members give to younger ones. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2025

But to its credit, the episode is interested in more than just what SNL cast members have to say about this catchphrase-spawning ode to the creative process. —Jen Chaney, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin, from Greek ōidē, literally, song, from aeidein, aidein to sing; akin to Greek audē voice

Noun combining form

Greek -odos, from hodos

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ode

1 of 2 noun

ˈōd 

: a lyric poem that expresses a noble feeling with dignity

-ode

2 of 2 noun combining form

ˌōd

1

: way : path

electrode

2

: electrode

diode

Etymology

Noun combining form

derived from Greek hodos "way, path"