song

English

Alternative forms

• ſong (“obsolete”)

Etymology

From Middle English song, sang, from Old English sang, from Proto-West Germanic *sangu, from Proto-Germanic *sangwaz (“singing, song”), from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷʰ- (“to sing”). Cognate with Scots sang, song (“singing, song”), Saterland Frisian Song (“song”), West Frisian sang (“song”), Dutch zang (“song”), Low German sang (“song”), German Sang (“singing, song”), Swedish sång (“song”), Norwegian Bokmål sang (“song”), Norwegian Nynorsk song (“song”), Icelandic söngur (“song”), Ancient Greek ὀμφή (omphḗ, “voice, oracle”). More at sing.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /sɒŋ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /sɔŋ/
• (US, cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /sɑŋ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒŋ

Noun

song (countable and uncountable, plural songs)

2. A musical composition with lyrics for voice or voices, performed by singing.

   Thomas listened to his favorite song on the radio yesterday.

   • 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh], “In the Fleete Made by Me William Cornishe otherwise Called Nyshwhete Chapelman with the Most Famose and Noble Kyng Henry the VII. His Reygne the XIX. Yere the Moneth of July. A Treatise betwene Trouth, and Information.”, in John Skelton, edited by J[ohn] S[tow], Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, Imprinted at London: In Fletestreate, neare vnto Saint Dunstones Churche by Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: Printed for C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, 1736, →OCLC, page 290:

     The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge

   • 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:

     In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter V, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.

   • Composition definition

     The act of putting together; assembly. (1 of 18 composition definitions)

   • Lyrics definition

     plural of lyric

   • Voice definition

     Sound uttered by the mouth, especially by human beings in speech or song; sound thus uttered considered as possessing some special quality or character (1 of 12 voice definitions)

   • Singing definition

     The act of using the voice to produce musical sounds; vocalizing. (1 of 3 singing definitions)

   • Wrest definition

     To pull or twist violently. (1 of 5 wrest definitions)
3. (by extension) Any musical composition.
4. Poetical composition; poetry; verse.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     This subject for heroic song.

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     The bard that first adorned our native tongue / Tuned to his British lyre this ancient song.

   • Poetry definition

     Literature composed in verse or language exhibiting conscious attention to patterns and rhythm. (1 of 3 poetry definitions)

   • Verse definition

     A poetic form with regular meter and a fixed rhyme scheme. (1 of 5 verse definitions)
5. The act or art of singing.
   • 1884, Spencer Leigh Hughes, “The Weather. A Short Study on a Great Subject.”, in Golden Hours: A Monthly Magazine for Family and General Reading, volume XVII, London: Lile and Fawcett, […], page 28, column 1:

     How often the enthusiast has dwelt upon the birds bursting into song, the buds bursting into flower, all nature bursting into life!—as though a state of things in which everything around us is bursting is at all pleasant.

   • 1942, Robert Peter Tristram Coffin, The Substance that is Poetry (Patten Foundation series)‎^[1], Macmillan, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 71:

     Or take one that is less of an explanation and more of a song , The Spider . I knew all along what I wanted to say about a spider . I wanted to say all the good things I could . For spiders are the one order of creation that I thoroughly dislike. […]

   • Art definition

     ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for artificial languages.

   • Sing definition

     To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice. (1 of 13 sing definitions)
6. A melodious sound made by a bird, insect, whale or other animal.

   I love hearing the song of canary birds.

   • 1833, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Canterbury Pilgrims:

     That most ethereal of all sounds, the song of crickets.

   • 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 85:

     The robin alone by his soft morning song broke the silence and the solitude which reigned in the forest.

   • Melodious definition

     Having a pleasant melody or sound; tuneful.

   • Bird definition

     A member of the class of animals Aves in the phylum Chordata, characterized by being warm-blooded, having feathers and wings usually capable of flight, having a beaked mouth, and laying eggs. (1 of 13 bird definitions)

   • Insect definition

     An arthropod (in the Insecta class) characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton. (1 of 3 insect definitions)

   • Whale definition

     Any one of numerous large marine mammals comprising an informal group within infraorder Cetacea that usually excludes dolphins and porpoises. (1 of 9 whale definitions)

   • Animal definition

     A eukaryote of the clade Animalia; a multicellular organism that is usually mobile, whose cells are not encased in a rigid cell wall (distinguishing it from plants and fungi) and which derives energy solely from the consumption of other organisms (distinguishing it from plants). (1 of 6 animal definitions)
7. (ornithology) The distinctive sound that a male bird utters to attract a mate or to protect his territory; contrasts with call; also, similar vocalisations made by female birds.

   • Ornithology definition

     The branch of zoology that deals with the scientific study of birds.

   • Mate definition

     A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate. (1 of 10 mate definitions)

   • Protect definition

     To keep safe; to defend; to guard; to prevent harm coming to. (1 of 2 protect definitions)

   • Territory definition

     A large extent or tract of land; for example a region, country or district. (1 of 10 territory definitions)

   • Call definition

     A telephone conversation; a phone call. (1 of 26 call definitions)
8. A low price, especially one under the expected value; chiefly in for a song.

   He bought that car for a song.

   • 1810, Benjamin Silliman, A Journal of Travels in England, Holland and Scotland:

     his [a common soldier's] pay is a song.

   • 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter I, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0016:

     Thus the red damask curtains which now shut out the fog-laden, drizzling atmosphere of the Marylebone Road, had cost a mere song, and yet they might have been warranted to last another thirty years. A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; […].

   • Price definition

     The cost required to gain possession of something. (1 of 3 price definitions)

   • Value definition

     The quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable. (1 of 11 value definitions)

   • For A Song definition

     For a very low price; very cheaply.
9. An object of derision; a laughing stock.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 30:9:

     And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

   • Derision definition

     Act of treating with disdain. (1 of 2 derision definitions)

   • Laughing Stock definition

     An object of ridicule, someone who is publicly ridiculed; the butt of a joke.

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Polish: song

Translations

See also

• canticle
• go for a song

Anagrams

• NGOs, NGSO, Ngos, gons, nogs, snog

Atong (India)

Etymology

Cognate with Garo song. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

song

1. village

   • Village definition

     A rural habitation of size between a hamlet and a town. (1 of 4 village definitions)

Derived terms

References

• van Breugel, Seino. 2015. Atong-English dictionary, second edition. Available online: https://www.academia.edu/487044/Atong_English_Dictionary.

Bikol Central

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsoŋ/, [ˈsoŋ]

Noun

song

1. rhinoceros beetle

   • Rhinoceros Beetle definition

     Any of various tropical beetles, of the subfamily Dynastinae, having horns on the head and thorax; a pest on coconuts.

See also

Chuukese

Adjective

song

1. angry

   • Angry definition

     Displaying or feeling anger. (1 of 3 angry definitions)

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English song. Doublet of zang.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

song m (plural songs)

1. song

   Synonyms: lied, liedje

   • Lied definition

     An art song, usually sung solo in German and accompanied on the piano.

   • Liedje definition

     diminutive of lied

Derived terms

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse sæing (“bed”), later sæng.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɔŋk/

Noun

song f (genitive singular songar or seingjar, plural seingir or sengur)

1. bed

   • Bed definition

     A piece of furniture, usually flat and soft, on which to rest or sleep. (1 of 29 bed definitions)

Declension

Derived terms

• barnasong

See also

• kamar
• sovikamar
• svøvnposi
• svøvnur
• koddi

Garo

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

song

1. village, hamlet

   • Hamlet definition

     A small village or a group of houses. (1 of 3 hamlet definitions)
2. classifier for villages

Derived terms

• songjinma
• songsal

Mandarin

Romanization

song

1. Nonstandard spelling of sōng.

   • Sōng definition

     hanyu Pinyin reading of 倯 (1 of 20 sōng definitions)
2. Nonstandard spelling of sóng.

   • Sóng definition

     hanyu Pinyin reading of 㞞／𪨊 (1 of 3 sóng definitions)
3. Nonstandard spelling of sǒng.

   • Sǒng definition

     hanyu Pinyin reading of 傱／𰁧 (1 of 16 sǒng definitions)
4. Nonstandard spelling of sòng.

   • Sòng definition

     hanyu Pinyin reading of 凇 (1 of 10 sòng definitions)

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• sange, sang, songe, soong, songge
• zang, zong, zonge (Kent)

Etymology

From Old English sang, song, from Proto-West Germanic *sangw, from Proto-Germanic *sangwaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɔnɡ/, /sɔːnɡ/, /sanɡ/, /saːnɡ/

Noun

song (plural songes)

1. A song (lyrical music):
   1. Religious or spiritual chanting or hymns.
   2. A exposition or story, especially a sung one.
   3. A song supposed to have occult or magical power.

   • Chanting definition

     present participle and gerund of chant

   • Hymns definition

     plural of hymn

   • Exposition definition

     The action of exposing something to something, such as skin to the sunlight. (1 of 9 exposition definitions)

   • Sung definition

     past participle of sing (1 of 2 sung definitions)

   • Occult definition

     To cover or hide from view. (1 of 2 occult definitions)

   • Magical definition

     Of, relating to, or by means of magic. (1 of 2 magical definitions)
2. The practice or an instance of singing songs.
3. The sound produced by a bird (rarely other creatures)
4. A tune; non-lyrical music.

   • Tune definition

     A melody. (1 of 7 tune definitions)

   • Music definition

     A series of sounds organized in time, usually employing some combination of harmony, melody, rhythm, tempo, etc., to convey a mood. (1 of 7 music definitions)
5. A quip, declaration, or remark.

   • Quip definition

     A smart, sarcastic turn or jest; a taunt; a severe retort or comeback; a gibe.

   • Declaration definition

     A written or oral indication of a fact, opinion, intention, belief, etc. (1 of 6 declaration definitions)

   • Remark definition

     An act of pointing out or noticing; notice or observation. (1 of 4 remark definitions)
6. A poem; a written work in verse.

   • Poem definition

     A literary piece written in verse. (1 of 3 poem definitions)

Declension

Derived terms

• songly

Descendants

• English: song
• Scots: song, sang
• Yola: zong

References

• “sō̆ng, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-10-24.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse sǫngr. Akin to English song.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɔŋː/

Noun

song m (definite singular songen, indefinite plural songar, definite plural songane)

1. song

   Kven er det som syng denne songen?

   Who sings this song?

Derived terms

Verb

song

1. past of syngja and synga

   • Syngja definition

     to sing

   • Synga definition

     alternative form of syngja

References

• “song” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from English song.^[1][2]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɔŋk/
• Rhymes: -ɔŋk
• Syllabification: song

Noun

song m inan

1. (music, theater) musical theater song, usually with social or political commentary (Is there an English equivalent to this definition?)

   • Theater definition

     A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on. (1 of 8 theater definitions)

   • Musical Theater definition

     A genre of theater that combines spoken dialogue with song and dance.

   • Social definition

     (1 of 10 social definitions)

   • Political definition

     Concerning or relating to politics, the art and process of governing. (1 of 5 political definitions)

   • Commentary definition

     A series of comments or annotations; especially, a book of explanations or expositions on the whole or a part of some other work. (1 of 3 commentary definitions)

Declension

References

Further reading

• song in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• song in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English song.

Noun

song

1. song

Tyap

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʷɔ́ŋ/

Noun

song

1. dance

   • Dance definition

     A sequence of rhythmic steps or movements usually performed to music, for pleasure or as a form of social interaction. (1 of 9 dance definitions)

Verb

song

1. dance

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [sawŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʂawŋ͡m˧˧] ~ [sɔŋ˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʂawŋ͡m˧˧] ~ [sawŋ͡m˧˧]
• Homophone: xong

Etymology 1

Noun

(classifier cây) song • (𧄐, 𫁷, 󰓖)

1. big rattan

   • Big definition

     Of great size, large. (1 of 17 big definitions)

   • Rattan definition

     Any of several species of climbing palm of the genus Calamus. (1 of 3 rattan definitions)

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 窗 (“window”).

Noun

song • (𣙩, 漴, 牕, 窓, 窻)

1. (archaic, literary) window

   • Window definition

     An opening, usually covered by one or more panes of clear glass, to allow light and air from outside to enter a building or vehicle. (1 of 12 window definitions)
2. Short for chấn song (“upright post in a paling or railing”).

   sau song sắt

   behind (iron) bars

   • Chấn Song definition

     a vertical bar; mullion; paling (especially for a window or a fence)

   • Upright definition

     Vertical; erect (1 of 5 upright definitions)

   • Post definition

     A long dowel or plank protruding from the ground; a fencepost; a lightpost. (1 of 10 post definitions)

   • Paling definition

     present participle and gerund of pale

   • Railing definition

     A fence or barrier consisting of one or more horizontal rails and vertical supports.

Derived terms

Etymology 3

Sino-Vietnamese word from 雙 (“double; pair”).

Prefix

song

1. bi-; double; parallel

   song đấm

   twin punches; punches performed with both hands

   • Bi- definition

     two, paired, both (1 of 3 bi- definitions)

   • Double definition

     Made up of two matching or complementary elements. (1 of 11 double definitions)

   • Parallel definition

     Equally distant from one another at all points. (1 of 6 parallel definitions)

Derived terms

Adverb

song

1. (formal) however

   • However definition

     Nevertheless; yet, still; in spite of that. (1 of 6 however definitions)
2. (formal) but

   • But definition

     Apart from, except (for), excluding. (1 of 2 but definitions)

Derived terms

Zhuang

Etymology

From Proto-Tai *soːŋᴬ, from Middle Chinese 雙 (MC sraewng, “two”). Cognate with Thai สอง (sɔ̌ɔng), Northern Thai ᩈᩬᨦ, Lao ສອງ (sǭng), Lü ᦉᦸᧂ (ṡoang), Tai Dam ꪎꪮꪉ, Shan သွင် (sǎung), Tai Nüa ᥔᥩᥒᥴ (sóang), Ahom 𑜏𑜨𑜂𑜫 (soṅ), Bouyei soongl.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /θoːŋ˨˦/
• Tone numbers: song¹
• Hyphenation: song

Numeral

song (Sawndip forms 雙 or 双 or 松, 1957–1982 spelling soŋ)

1. two

   song bak

   two hundred

   • 2008, Rint Sybesma, “Zhuang: A Tai language with some Sinitic characteristics”, in Pieter Muysken, editor, From Linguistic Areas to Areal Linguistics, page 246:

     De   fwngz   ndeu   yaeuj   ndaej   song   doengj   raemx   bae!
     3s    hand    one     raise    ACQ    two    bucket    water    PRT
     S/he can lift two buckets of water with one hand!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • Two definition

     NATO & ICAO radiotelephony clear code (spelling alphabet name) for the digit 2.

Usage notes

Used with ndeu rather than it.

Synonyms

• ngeih