rhapsody

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English

WOTD – 21 June 2022

Etymology

The noun is derived from Latin rhapsōdia (“part of an epic poem suitable for uninterrupted recitation”), from Koine Greek ῥαψῳδία (rhapsōidía, “part of an epic poem suitable for uninterrupted recitation; rigmarole”), Ancient Greek ῥαψῳδία (rhapsōidía, “composition or recitation of Epic poetry”), from ῥαψῳδός (rhapsōidós, “composer or performer of Epic poetry”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-íā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns).[1] Ῥαψῳδός (Rhapsōidós) is derived from ῥᾰ́πτω (rháptō, “to sew”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *werb- (“to bend; to turn”)) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “ode; song”) (ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *awoidā́ (“song”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming o-grade action nouns).

Sense 2.2 (“instrumental composition of irregular form”) probably developed from sense 2.1 (“exaggeratedly enthusiastic or exalted expression of feeling in speech or writing”), and both of these senses may have been influenced by rapture (“extreme excitement, happiness, or pleasure”), the latter being a quality associated with the senses. Sense 2.3 (“literary composition consisting of miscellaneous works”) is borrowed from Middle French rhapsodie (modern French rhapsodie), from Latin rhapsōdia: see above. [1]

The verb is derived from the noun.[2]

cognates

Pronunciation

Noun

rhapsody (plural rhapsodies)

  1. (Ancient Greece, poetry, historical) An epic poem, or part of one, suitable for uninterrupted recitation.
  2. (by extension)
    1. (sometimes with a negative connotation) An exaggeratedly enthusiastic or exalted expression of feeling in speech or writing.
      • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis. , volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, , published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
        Of course here Mr. Pen went off into a rhapsody through which, as we have perfect command over our own feelings, we have no reason to follow the lad. Of course, love, truth, and eternity were produced: and words were tried but found impossible to plumb the tremendous depth of his affection.
    2. (music) An instrumental composition of irregular form, often incorporating improvisation.
    3. (archaic) A random collection or medley; a miscellany; also, a confused string of stories, words, etc.
      • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , lines 41-48:
        Such an act / That blurs the grace and blush of modesty; / Calls virtue hypocrite; takes off the rose / From the fair forehead of an innocent love / And sets a blister there; makes marriage vows / As false as dicers' oaths; O, such a deed / As from the body of contraction plucks / The very soul, and sweet religion makes / A rhapsody of words!
      • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes , London: Val Simmes for Edward Blount , →OCLC:
        This concerneth not those mingle-mangles of many kinds of stuffe, or as the Grecians call them Rapsodies, that for such are published […].
      • a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: , London: A and J Churchill, , published 1706, →OCLC, page 49:
        He, that makes no reflexions on what he reads, only loads his mind with a rhapsody of tales fit for the entertainment of others.
    4. (sometimes with a negative connotation, obsolete) A literary composition consisting of miscellaneous works.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

rhapsody (third-person singular simple present rhapsodies, present participle rhapsodying, simple past and past participle rhapsodied)

  1. Synonym of rhapsodize
    1. (transitive)
      1. To say (something) with exaggerated or rapturous enthusiasm.
      2. (obsolete, rare) To perform (a rhapsody (“an epic poem, or part of one, suitable for uninterrupted recitation”))
    2. (intransitive) Followed by about, on, over, or upon: to speak with exaggerated or rapturous enthusiasm.

Translations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 “rhapsody, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, June 2022.; “rhapsody, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  2. ^ “rhapsody, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2022.

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