ode

UK: /ˈəʊd/ US: /oʊd/ ,(ōd)

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

ode /oʊd/   n. [countable]

1. Poetry a lyric poem, typically with an irregular meter, rhyme, or form, and expressing praise or enthusiastic emotion.

od•ic, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ode  (ōd), n. 

1. Poetry a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion.
2. Poetry (originally) a poem intended to be sung. Cf. Horatian ode, Pindaric ode. 

• Greek ōidé̄, contraction of aoidé̄ song, derivative of aeídein to sing
• Late Latin ōda
• Middle French
• 1580–90

-ode¹ ,

1. a suffix of nouns, appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant "like'';
   used in the formation of compound words:
   phyllode.
   Cf. -oid. 

• Greek -ōdēs, probably generalized from adjectives describing smells, as kēó̄dēs smelling like incense; base ōd- of ózein to smell, give off odor

-ode² ,

1. a combining form meaning "way,'' "road,'' used in the formation of compound words:
   anode; electrode.

• Greek -odos, combining form of hodós

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ode / əʊd/ noun

1. a lyric poem, typically addressed to a particular subject, with lines of varying lengths and complex rhythms
2. (formerly) a poem meant to be sung

Etymology: 16th Century: via French from Late Latin ōda, from Greek ōidē, from aeidein to sing

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

-ode combining_form:in_noun:countable

1. denoting resemblance: nematode

Etymology: from Greek -ōdēs, from eidos shape, form

-ode combining_form:in_noun:countable

1. denoting a path or way: electrode

Etymology: from Greek -odos, from hodos a way