epode means the after song; the part of a lyric or choral ode which follows the strophe and antistrophe. It carries an Arena rating of 1612, earned across 59 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, epode ranks #1,353 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #1,363 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #3,468 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words, #4,482 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words.
epode is pronounced /ˈɛpəʊd/.
Why “epode” is a great word
EPODE — [Noun] In classical lyric poetry, the concluding section of an ode, following the strophe and antistrophe, or a distinct poetic form characterized by a long verse followed by a shorter one. From Latin epōdos, from Ancient Greek ἐπῳδός (epōidós, "sung after"), from ἐπί (epí, "after") + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, "song, ode"). Unlike the "strophe" (which specifically denotes the first turning movement of the chorus in an ode) or the general "ode" (a ceremonious lyric poem), the epode is the stationary final section that follows it, or a sub-genre defined by its metrical imbalance. It is the architectural keystone locking the ode’s structure into place, the answering couplet in a formal argument, and the deliberate quiet after the antiphonal chorus has turned and counter-turned—a formal satisfaction born of structure reaching its end.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἐπῳδός (epōidós); see epi-, ode.
noun
- The after song; the part of a lyric or choral ode which follows the strophe and antistrophe.
- A kind of lyric poem, invented by Archilochus, in which a longer verse is followed by a shorter one.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- antode 66% match — A particular ode sung in response to another. vs epode →
- exodium 63% match — Synonym of exode (“a comic performance after a tragedy”). vs epode →
- parodos 62% match — A side entrance to an Ancient Greek theater, affording access to the stage or orchestra. vs epode →
- exode 62% match — departure; exodus, especially the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt vs epode →
- epinician 61% match — Of, related to, or resembling a certain type of Greek ode in honor of a victorious athlete vs epode →
- epistrophe 59% match — The repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences. vs epode →
- strophe 59% match — A turn in verse, as from one metrical foot to another, or from one side of a chorus to the other. vs epode →
- epicede 59% match — An elegy; an ode to someone deceased. vs epode →