melodrama

UK: /ˈmɛlədrɑːmə/

US: /ˈmɛləˌdrɑmə, -ˌdræmə/

US: (mel′ə drä′mə, -dram′ə)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mel•o•dra•ma /ˈmɛləˌdrɑmə, -ˌdræmə/   n., pl. -mas. 

1. Show Business a play or story that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action:
   [countable] TV soap operas are melodramas that never seem to end.
2. melodramatic behavior or events:
   [uncountable] The trial had more than its share of melodrama.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mel•o•dra•ma  (mel′ə drä′mə, -dram′ə), n. 

1. Show Business, Literature a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization.
2. melodramatic behavior or events.
3. Show Business, Music and Dance, Literature (in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries) a romantic dramatic composition with music interspersed.

• Greek mélos song) + drame drama
• French mélodrame, equivalent. to mélo- (
• 1800–10;

mel•o•dram•a•tist  (mel′ə dram′ə tist, -drä′mə-), n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

melodrama / ˈmɛləˌdrɑːmə/ noun

1. a play, film, etc, characterized by extravagant action and emotion
2. (formerly) a romantic drama characterized by sensational incident, music, and song
3. overdramatic emotion or behaviour

Etymology: 19th Century: from French mélodrame, from Greek melos song + French drame drama

melodramatist / ˌmɛləˈdræmətɪst/ noun

melodramatic / ˌmɛlədrəˈmætɪk/ adjective

ˌmelodraˈmatically adverb

ˌmelodraˈmatics noun:plural