melodrama en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈmɛləˌdɹɑːmə/
Etymology
From French mélodrame, the second element refashioned by analogy with drama; ultimately from Ancient Greek μέλος (mélos, “limb”, “member”, “song”, “tune”, “melody”) + δρᾶμα (drâma, “deed”, “theatrical act”). Compare melodrame. Cognate to German Melodram and Spanish melodrama.
Meanings
- (archaic, uncountable) A kind of drama having a musical accompaniment to intensify the effect of certain scenes.
- (countable) A drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic.
-
(countable, qualifier:opera) A passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks.
The grave-digging scene in Beethoven's “Fidelio” has much melodrama.
Rudolf was the bold, bad Baron of traditional melodrama. Irene was young, as pretty as a picture, fresh from a music academy in England. He was the scion of an ancient noble family; she an orphan without money or friends.
1956, Delano Ames, chapter 9, in Crime out of Mind:
- (colloquial, figuratively, uncountable) Any situation or action which is blown out of proportion.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| melodramas | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| melodramata | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
melodramatist · melodramatics · melofarce · melodramatic · melodramatize
Translations (37)
fr mélodrame (romantic drama) · hi नाटक (romantic drama) · id melodrama (romantic drama) · nn melodrama (romantic drama) · it melodramma (romantic drama) · sh melodrama (romantic drama) · ca melodrama (romantic drama) · tr melodram (romantic drama) · ja メロ (romantic drama) · bg мелодра́ма (romantic drama) · eo melodramo (romantic drama) · ja メロドラマ (romantic drama) · ms ميلودراما (romantic drama) · ko 멜로 (romantic drama) · mk мелодра́ма (romantic drama) · ar مِيلُودْرَامَا (romantic drama) · sk melodráma (romantic drama) · nb melodrama (romantic drama) · pt melodrama (romantic drama) · el μελόδραμα (romantic drama) · ko 멜로드라마 (romantic drama) · cs melodram (romantic drama) · tl himigdula (romantic drama) · he מלודרמה (romantic drama) · ru мелодра́ма (romantic drama) · fi melodraama (romantic drama) · hy մելոդրամա (romantic drama) · pl melodramat (romantic drama) · uk мелодра́ма (romantic drama) · cmn 情節劇 /情节剧 (romantic drama) · sh мелодрама (romantic drama) · ro melodramă (romantic drama) · be меладра́ма (romantic drama) · de Melodrama (romantic drama) · kk мелодрама (romantic drama) · ka მელოდრამა (romantic drama) · es melodrama (romantic drama)