lyricism

noun

lyr·​i·​cism ˈlir-ə-ˌsi-zəm 

1

: the quality or state of being lyric : songfulness

The important part of his anthology 100 Modern Poems is the foreign verse, showing the French influence on our symbolism, the Celtic influence (Yeats, Dylan Thomas) on our lyricism.

—Peter Viereck

2

a

: an intense personal quality expressive of feeling or emotion in an art (such as poetry or music)

… a muse that brought out the lyricism in innumerable writers.

—Erich Segal

b

: exuberance

[Thomas] Wolfe is the sort of author who inspires lyricism or invective, not judicious interpretation

—Time

3

: the words of a song : lyrics

witty lyricism

Despite her spitfire raps and devil-may-care persona, Lee's lyricism is surprisingly sensitive, proving the rapper to be wise beyond her years.

—Gladys Yeo

Renaissance, Beyoncé's seventh album, was a seductive club banger with heady lyricism and deep tributes to the queer community.

—CT Jones

Examples of lyricism in a Sentence

the lyricism of his paintings

Recent Examples on the Web

These facts in no way diminish our admiration of Siena’s brilliant particularity, especially its unrivaled pictorial lyricism, so vividly captured in this staggering exhibition. —Christian K. Kleinbub, ARTnews.com, 29 Oct. 2024

Eid’s introspective lyricism drives Noaata Beida (A Drop of White, 2017), as seen in the title track featuring Abdelrahman Roshdy, which reflects a dualistic struggle playing out between the two vocal lines. —Maha Elnabawi, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2024

The March project is another dose of the L.A. rhymer’s mesh of colorful, vivid lyricism, and fun production. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2024

If anything, Nickel Boys is an even bolder work than Hale County, utilizing point-of-view cameras and fusing them with the delicate lyricism of that earlier movie. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1