[W/K] :: Melody

  Melody \Mel"o*dy\, n.; pl. Melodies. [OE. melodie, F.
     m['e]lodie, L. melodia, fr. Gr. ? a singing, choral song, fr.
     ? musical, melodious; me`los song, tune + ? song. See Ode.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A sweet or agreeable succession of sounds.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Lulled with sound of sweetest melody. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Mus.) A rhythmical succession of single tones, ranging
        for the most part within a given key, and so related
        together as to form a musical whole, having the unity of
        what is technically called a musical thought, at once
        pleasing to the ear and characteristic in expression.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Melody consists in a succession of single tones;
           harmony is a consonance or agreement of tones, also a
           succession of consonant musical combinations or chords.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The air or tune of a musical piece.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: See Harmony.
          [1913 Webster]

  melody
       n 1: a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she
            was humming an air from Beethoven" [syn: tune, air,
            strain, melodic line, line, melodic phrase]
       2: the perception of pleasant arrangements of musical notes
          [syn: tonal pattern]

  38 Moby Thesaurus words for "melody":
     air, aria, bel canto, canto, cantus, descant, diapason, dulcetness,
     euphoniousness, euphony, harmony, lay, line, lyrics, measure,
     mellifluence, mellifluousness, melodia, melodic line,
     melodiousness, musical quality, musical sound, musicality, note,
     refrain, solo, solo part, song, soprano part, strain, sweetness,
     theme, tonality, tone, treble, tune, tunefulness, warble