noun / adjective
lyric
Poetic or musical expression of personal feelings.
Her lyric poetry turns private grief into something we all recognize.
Etymology
The Greek adjective described poetry associated with the lyre. Poetry voiced through song developed a strong association with personal feeling, which survives in this literary and musical sense.
More examples
- This short lyric captures the loneliness of a winter evening.
- The composer's lyric style gives the melody a tender, personal quality.
- The poet's early lyrics explore love and loss.
Forms
lyric · lyrics
lyrical adjective — Expressing personal feeling through poetic language.
lyricism noun — An expressive, musical quality in art.
Similar words
- poetic
- Emphasizes imaginative language, not necessarily the writer's personal feelings.
- expressive
- Conveys feeling openly without requiring a poetic or musical style.