lyricism
/ˈlɪrɪsɪzəm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlɪrɪsɪzəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlir-ə-ˌsi-zəm/ (ame, mw)
lyricism — noun
1. a quality in poetry, music, or art that shows deep, personal feeling and reaches
a quality in poetry, music, or art that shows deep, personal feeling and reaches the reader or listener with beauty — for example, a poem about a lost mother, or a slow song about leaving home.
Critics praised the quiet lyricism of Apinya's poems about her grandmother.
the lyricism of [someone]'s work
Tyler's piano pieces are loved for their warmth, simplicity, and unexpected lyricism.
noun in a list of artistic qualities
The film's last scene reaches a kind of lyricism that surprises most viewers.
Andrés writes news articles with a lyricism rarely found in daily reporting.
- expressiveness
broader; any clear show of feeling, not only beautiful
- poetic quality
close synonym; emphasises the poem-like feel
- emotional depth
focuses on how deep the feeling is, not its beauty
- dryness
lacking warmth or feeling, often said of writing
文法句型
the lyricism of [a work / an artist]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a creative work or an artist; rarely used about ordinary speech or non-artistic writing. Distinct from sense 2, which is purely about being suitable for singing.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of a tune or musical line that makes it sound like singing — flowing
the quality of a tune or musical line that makes it sound like singing — flowing, smooth, and easy for a human voice to follow.
The violin solo has a clear lyricism that students often try to copy.
a + adjective + lyricism
Minho explained that the slow middle section was written for its lyricism.
for + possessive + lyricism
Even short flute pieces by Gita carry a strong lyricism in their opening lines.
The conductor asked the strings to bring out the lyricism in the second movement.
- songfulness
near-identical; less formal in music writing
- cantabile quality
technical music term for the same idea
- angularity
music sounding jagged or hard to sing
文法句型
the lyricism of [a melody / a passage]
用法筆記
Used by music writers and teachers about a melody's song-like flow. Object/subject is almost always a piece of music or a passage within one — not a song's words.
3. a free, joyful, sometimes over-the-top energy in how someone speaks or writes ab
a free, joyful, sometimes over-the-top energy in how someone speaks or writes about a topic they care deeply about — for example, an old fan describing a favourite team.
Rachid spoke about his hometown with a lyricism his friends teased him for.
with + lyricism + reaction clause
The fan letter to Élise was written with such lyricism that the actor kept it.
written with + lyricism
Shirin's speech about her chess hero carried a lyricism the audience laughed at warmly.
The food blog reviews each new noodle shop with a lyricism most readers find funny.
- exuberance
neutral; lyricism here adds the over-the-top edge
- rhapsody
stronger; suggests near-poetic praise
- restraint
holding feelings back
文法句型
with [a / great] lyricism
用法筆記
Almost always tongue-in-cheek: writers reach for this sense when the enthusiasm is slightly too much for the topic. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 is about the speaker's excess feeling, not the artistic beauty of the work.