rhapsody: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary, Musical
Quick answer
What does “rhapsody” mean?
A piece of music that is free in form and highly emotional or enthusiastic.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A piece of music that is free in form and highly emotional or enthusiastic; an expression of powerful feelings.
A highly enthusiastic, emotional, or ecstatic expression of feeling, either in speech, writing, or another artistic form. Historically, it also referred to an epic poem or part of one suitable for recitation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The musical genre term is equally recognised.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English in literary/critical contexts (e.g., 'a rhapsody in praise of spring'). In American English, it is strongly anchored by the cultural landmark 'Rhapsody in Blue' (Gershwin).
Frequency
Low frequency in both variants, but perhaps marginally higher in AmE due to the famous composition's title.
Grammar
How to Use “rhapsody” in a Sentence
a rhapsody on/about [topic]go/launch/break into a rhapsodycompose/write/perform a rhapsodyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “rhapsody” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The poet would rhapsodise about the English countryside.
- Critics rhapsodised over the actor's performance.
American English
- The reviewer rhapsodized about the new fusion restaurant.
- She rhapsodized for ten minutes about her grandson's art project.
adverb
British English
- He spoke rhapsodically about his favourite football team's victory.
American English
- She described the sunset rhapsodically, with tears in her eyes.
adjective
British English
- His speech was rhapsodic in its praise of the National Health Service.
- She wrote in a rhapsodic style about her travels.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Possibly in hyperbolic marketing: 'The CEO's presentation was a rhapsody on innovation.'
Academic
Used in musicology, literary criticism, and cultural studies to describe a genre or style of effusive artistic expression.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Might be used humorously or sarcastically: 'He went into a complete rhapsody about his new pizza oven.'
Technical
A standard term in music for a free-form, often virtuosic, one-movement work (e.g., Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “rhapsody”
- Using it as a synonym for any 'song' or 'piece of music' (it's a specific, often extravagant genre).
- Misspelling: 'rapsody'.
- Using it as a verb ('to rhapsody' is archaic and incorrect in modern English).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not in modern English. The related verbs are 'rhapsodise' (UK) / 'rhapsodize' (US). The noun 'rhapsody' itself is not used as a verb.
Both are free-form, but a 'rhapsody' often has a nationalistic or folk-inspired character (e.g., Hungarian, Spanish) and is typically more exuberant and emotional. A 'fantasia' is generally more focused on improvisatory style and thematic development.
Primarily positive, conveying enthusiastic praise or ecstatic emotion. It can be used sarcastically to imply someone is being overly or foolishly effusive.
Undoubtedly 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen, which has cemented the word in popular culture. In classical music, 'Rhapsody in Blue' (Gershwin) and 'Hungarian Rhapsody' (Liszt) are extremely well-known.
A piece of music that is free in form and highly emotional or enthusiastic.
Rhapsody is usually formal, literary, musical in register.
Rhapsody: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrapsədi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈræpsədi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “go into rhapsodies (over/about something)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of QUEEN's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' – a wildly emotional and unstructured piece of music. RHAPSODY sounds like 'RAP' + 'ODY' (from odyssey/melody) – a rapturous musical journey.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION/ENTHUSIASM IS A MUSICAL COMPOSITION (e.g., 'Her speech was a rhapsody of joy').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'rhapsody' MOST appropriately used?