Definition of: monody

(mon′ə·dē) noun plural ·dies
1. Any melancholy literary composition with a single emotional motive; especially, a poem on the death of a friend. Compare THRENODY.
2. In Greek tragedy, the lyric solo, usually of a somber character; hence, a dirge.
3. Music a A composition in which one vocal part predominates, or the style of such a composition; homophony: opposed to polyphony. b A song for a single voice, with instrumental accompaniment.
4. A monotonous sound; unvarying tone: the monody of waves. [<LL monodia <Gk. monōidia <monōidos singing alone <monos alone + aedein sing]
—mo·nod·ic (mə·nod′ik), mo·nod′i·cal adjective
—mo·nod′i·cal·ly adverb
—mon′o·dist noun