melodrama

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: mel=o=dra=ma

CIDE DICTIONARY

melodrama, n. [F. mélodrame, fr. Gr. me`los song + dra^ma drama.].

 Formerly, a kind of drama having a musical accompaniment to intensify the effect of certain scenes. Now, a drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic. In opera, a passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks; as, the melodrama in the gravedigging scene of Beethoven's “Fidelio”.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

melodrama, n.
1 a sensational dramatic piece with crude appeals to the emotions and usu. a happy ending.
2 the genre of drama of this type.
3 language, behaviour, or an occurrence suggestive of this.
4 hist. a play with songs interspersed and with orchestral music accompanying the action.

Derivative

melodramatic adj. melodramatically adv. melodramatist n. melodramatize v.tr. (also -ise).

Etymology

earlier melodrame f. F m{eacute}lodrame f. Gk melos music + F drame DRAMA

THESAURUS

melodrama

Grand Guignol, Passion play, Tom show, antimasque, audience success, ballet, blood and thunder, bomb, broadcast drama, burlesque show, charade, cliff hanger, closet drama, comedy drama, critical success, daytime serial, demonstrativeness, dialogue, documentary drama, drama, dramalogue, dramatic play, dramatic series, duodrama, duologue, emotional appeal, emotionalism, emotionality, emotionalization, emotionalizing, emotiveness, emotivity, epic theater, experimental theater, extravaganza, failure, flop, gasser, giveaway, happening, histrionics, hit, hit show, human interest, improvisational drama, legitimate drama, love interest, making scenes, masque, melodramatics, minstrel show, miracle, miracle play, monodrama, monologue, morality, morality play, music drama, musical revue, mystery, mystery play, nonrationalness, opera, pageant, panel show, pantomime, pastoral, pastoral drama, piece, play, playlet, problem play, psychodrama, quiz show, radio drama, review, revue, sensational play, sensationalism, serial, show, sitcom, situation comedy, sketch, skit, soap, soap opera, sociodrama, spectacle, stage play, stage show, straight drama, success, suspense drama, tableau, tableau vivant, talk show, teleplay, television drama, television play, theater of cruelty, theatricality, theatrics, total theater, unreasoningness, variety show, vaudeville, vaudeville show, vehicle, visceralness, word-of-mouth success, work, yellow journalism

ROGET THESAURUS

melodrama

The Drama

N the drama, the stage, the theater, the play, film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography, theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis, play, drama, stage play, piece, five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta, lever de rideau, interlude, afterpiece, exode, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta, harlequinade, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe, ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame, melodrama, melodrame, comidie larmoyante, sensation drama, tragicomedy, farcical-comedy, monodrame monologue, duologue trilogy, charade, proverbs, mystery, miracle play, musical, musical comedy, western, horse opera, flick, spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film, pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film, act, scene, tableau, induction, introduction, prologue, epilogue, libretto, performance, representation, mise en scene, stagery, jeu de theatre, acting, gesture, impersonation, stage business, gag, buffoonery, light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy, theater, playhouse, opera house, house, music hall, amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round, puppet show, fantoccini, marionettes, Punch and Judy, auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet, greenroom, coulisses, flat, drop, drop scene, wing, screen, side scene, transformation scene, curtain, act drop, proscenium, stage, scene, scenery, the boards, trap, mezzanine floor, flies, floats, footlights, offstage, orchestra, theatrical costume, theatrical properties, movie studio, back lot, on location, part, role, character, dramatis personae, repertoire, actor, thespian, player, method actor, stage player, strolling player, stager, performer, mime, mimer, artists, comedian, tragedian, tragedienne, Roscius, star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol, supporting actor, supporting cast, ham, hamfatter, masker, pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine, punchinello, pulcinello, pulcinella, extra, bit- player, walk-on role, cameo appearance, mute, figurante, general utility, super, supernumerary, company, first tragedian, prima donna, protagonist, jeune premier, debutant, debutante, light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian, walking gentleman, amoroso, heavy father, ingenue, jeune veuve, mummer, guiser, guisard, gysart, masque, mountebank, Jack Pudding, tumbler, posture master, acrobat, contortionist, ballet dancer, ballet girl, chorus singer, coryphee danseuse, property man, costumier, machinist, prompter, call boy, manager, director, stage manager, acting manager, producer, entrepreneur, impresario, backer, investor, angel, dramatic author, dramatic writer, play writer, playwright, dramatist, mimographer, dramatic, theatric, theatrical, scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined, farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, on the stage, on the boards, on film, before the floats, before an audience, behind the scenes, fere totus mundus exercet histrionem, suit the action to the word, the word to the action, the play's the thing, to wake the soul by tender strokes of art.