Having a pleasant musical quality; relating to or characterized by melody. Describes music or sounds that are tuneful, harmonious, and pleasing to hear.
From Greek melodikos, from melodia meaning 'singing, chanting,' which combines melos (song, tune) and aoide (song, ode). The term entered English through Latin and French in the 17th century, initially used in musical contexts but later extended to describe any pleasant, musical sounds.
What makes something sound 'melodic' to our ears is partly universal and partly cultural - while certain intervals and patterns seem naturally pleasing across cultures, our perception of melody is also shaped by the musical traditions we're exposed to from birth. This explains why traditional music from different cultures can sound quite foreign initially.
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