melodrama

 
Pronunciation: /ˈmɛlə(ʊ)drɑːmə/

noun

  • 1a sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions: he gloated like a villain in a Victorian melodrama
  • [mass noun] the genre of melodrama: he abandoned melodrama for realism
  • [mass noun] behaviour or events that resemble melodrama: what little is known of his early life is cloaked in melodrama
  • 2 historical a play interspersed with songs and orchestral music accompanying the action.

Derivatives

melodramatist

Pronunciation: /-ˈdramətɪst/
noun

melodramatize

Pronunciation: /-ˈdramətʌɪz/
(also melodramatise) verb

Origin:

early 19th century: from French mélodrame, from Greek melos 'music' + French drame 'drama'

Spelling help

Remember that melodrama and the related word melodramatic begin with melo-.