Lyrical

Lyrical

Adjective · /ˈlɪr.ɪ.kəl/

Definition

Having the qualities of lyric poetry — personal, emotional, and flowing; expressing genuine emotion in a beautiful, graceful way; (informal) wax lyrical — to speak with great enthusiasm and at length about something.

Origin

Lyrical is the extended adjective form of lyric, with the addition of -al (from Latin -alis, an adjectival suffix). The distinction between lyric and lyrical is subtle: lyric tends to be used in technical literary and musical contexts (a lyric poem, a lyric voice) while lyrical is more often used figuratively and informally (lyrical prose, to wax lyrical). The word is attested in English from the 17th century.