Musical Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

musical

1 of 2

adjective

mu·​si·​cal ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce musical (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to music
b
: having the pleasing harmonious qualities of music : melodious
2
: having an interest in or talent for music
3
: set to or accompanied by music
4
: of or relating to musicians or music lovers
musically adverb

musical

2 of 2

noun

1
archaic : musicale
2
: a film or theatrical production typically of a sentimental or humorous nature that consists of musical numbers and dialogue based on a unifying plot

Examples of musical in a Sentence

Adjective She has a very musical voice. the musical sounds of the babbling brook
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Ore-Giron, who is also a musician and DJ, treats shifts in color and tone like musical scales, ascending and descending like walking bass lines in jazz. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 This tour gives us the chance to combine the best of both musical worlds. The Courier-Journal, 16 Mar. 2024 Bryan Hearne, who appeared on All That from 2001 to 2003, fondly remembers meeting musical guests like Tyrese and Usher and battling his fellow cast members in foosball. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 The night also featured special musical performances from Chloe Bailey and Kate Hudson. Jack Dunn, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 The night ended with a musical performance by Jewel before Longoria’s birthday was celebrated with a surprise cake—candles and all! Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 The pianist and musical mastermind behind timeless hits from stars like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, recently helped Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti create his new offering. Janine Rubenstein, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 The musical, unwilling except at the margins to alter a plot so beloved — or at least so familiar — tries to distinguish itself in other ways. Jesse Green, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Grammy-award winning inspirational singer Lauren Daigle is coming to the AMP Aug. 14 on her Kaleidoscope Tour with with musical guest Blessing Offor. Monica Hooper, arkansasonline.com, 4 Mar. 2024
Noun
She has been featured in many ways over the years, from being featured in our musicals, as a featured soloist in the choir program, and in a number of choral and theatrical ensembles. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 Now, The Notebook is leaping off the page and onto the stage in a poignant new musical that is, without a doubt, its finest adaptation yet. EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024 Highlights among this year's nominees include Nicole Scherzinger, nominated for best actress in a musical for her performance in Sunset Boulevard, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who is nominated for best actress for Plaza Suite. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Since Positions — which launched at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, sent its title track to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and scored two Grammy nods — Grande has been hard at work filming Wicked, the two-part movie musicals based on the hit Broadway show. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024 In his lifetime, Berlin wrote more than 900 songs, 19 musicals, and the scores of 18 movies. Sari Beth Rosenberg, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 An adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the 2004 film, Tina Fey’s latest rendition of the high school comedy surpassed $100 million at the global box office after six weeks of release. Caroline Brew, Variety, 4 Mar. 2024 Felder said the concert will include show tunes from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals and songs by Elvis Presley and Ella Fitzgerald. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2024 Promising costume designers are exposed to a variety of genres and related fields, such as film, television, classic plays, opera, musicals and dance. Cathy Whitlock, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'musical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Medieval Latin musicalis, from musica

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of musical was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near musical

Cite this Entry

“Musical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musical. Accessed 22 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

musical

1 of 2 adjective
mu·​si·​cal ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce musical (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to music or the writing or performance of music
musical instruments
b
: having the pleasing harmonious qualities of music
a musical voice
2
: fond of or gifted in music
a musical family
3
: set to or accompanied by music
musically adverb

musical

2 of 2 noun
: a film or play that tells a story and that includes both musical numbers and dialogue

More from Merriam-Webster on musical

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