Rhapsodies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection of expressive and passionate works that convey intense feelings or emotions across various art forms
2. A musical piece characterized by free form and emotional intensity ; an outburst of joy or enthusiasm expressed openly
3. An elaborate musical work known for its dramatic flow and rich emotion ; a spontaneous display of happiness or excitement

Etymology: "Rhapsodies" is the plural of "rhapsody," and the noun it inflects has an unusual origin. In ancient Greece, a "rhapsode" was a professional performer who recited epic poems, especially Homer's, at festivals and public gatherings. The Greek word combines "rhaptein," to stitch or sew together, with "ōidē," song, so a rhapsode was literally a "song-stitcher," someone who joined episodes of heroic verse into a continuous recitation. The sense of stitching survives in the Greek "rhapsōidia," which came to mean a section of an epic recited in one sitting. English borrowed the term through Latin and French, and its meaning drifted from a recitation of epic verse toward an emotional, free-flowing outpouring. That shift produced the musical sense, a piece with no fixed form that expresses intense feeling, and the everyday sense of an enthusiastic, open display of joy.

Synonyms: enthusiasm, exuberance, ecstasy, rapture, delight

Antonyms: gloom, sadness, despair, misery, depression