Lyrism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of expressing personal feeling in a song-like, emotionally intense manner, especially in poetry or music
2. An intensely emotional, song-like expressiveness found in verse, composition, or other artistic work
3. Passionate, melodic expressiveness that characterizes poetry, music, or other art seeking to convey inner feeling

Etymology: "Lyrism" is simply the lyre, the small stringed instrument of ancient Greece, with the suffix "-ism" attached. The lyre gave its name to lyric poetry, verse meant to be sung or accompanied by the instrument, and "lyrism" names the quality of that style: a poetic manner that is song-like, emotional and personal rather than narrative or dramatic. The suffix "-ism" comes from Greek "-ismos", which forms nouns of action, doctrine or characteristic state. Attached to a musical instrument, it turns the lyre itself into an abstract idea, the quality of lyre-like singing. The word is a plain formation of this kind, so its interest lies in the instrument behind it rather than in any twist of meaning.