elegy
English
Etymology
From Middle French elegie, from Latin elegīa, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐλεγείᾱ (elegeíā), ellipsis of ἐλεγείᾱ ᾠδή (elegeíā ōidḗ, “an elegiac song”).
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈɛlɪd͡ʒi/
- Hyphenation: el‧e‧gy
Audio (UK): (file) Audio (CA): (file)
Noun
elegy (plural elegies)
- A mournful or plaintive poem; a funeral song; a poem of lamentation. [from early 16th c.]
- (music) A composition of mournful character.
- A classical poem written in elegiac meter
Usage notes
Because the words elegy and eulogy sound and look similar and both concern speeches or poems associated with someone's death and funeral, they are easily confused. A simple key to remembering the difference is that an elegy is chiefly about lamenting whereas a eulogy is chiefly about praising (and eu- = "good").
Synonyms
Coordinate terms
- requiem – a piece of music played at a mass for the dead
Derived terms
Translations
mournful or plaintive poem or song
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- English terms borrowed from Middle French
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- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
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- en:Music
- Min Nan terms with redundant script codes
- en:Funeral
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- en:Literary genres