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A.Word.A.Day--threnody

threnody (THREN-uh-dee) noun

A song of lamentation for the dead.

[From Greek threnoidia, from threnos (lament) + oide (song). Ultimately from Indo-European root wed- (to speak) that is also the forefather of such words as ode, tragedy, comedy, parody, melody, and rhapsody.]

See more usage examples of threnody in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

"In his new novel James Lee Burke ties all these elements together in what amounts to a threnody of grief for the American dream." Mike Phillips; Both Villains And Victims; The Guardian (London, UK); Jul 31, 2004.

"For Dorin, it was a full-throated threnody of decision." Jerry Izenberg; A Jersey Hero Hits Home; The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey); Jul 25, 2004.

This week's theme: words from Greek.

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