Definition of prosody

The word "prosody" has its roots in ancient Greek. The Greek term "prosōidia" (προσῳδία) is a combination of "pros" (πρός) meaning "toward" or "in the direction of," and "ōidos" (οἰδός) meaning "song" or "tune." In Greek, "prosōidia" referred to the melody or rhythm of a poem, as well as the way it was sung or recited. The term was later adopted into Latin as "prosodia," and from there it was translated into various European languages, including English. In English, "prosody" initially referred specifically to the rhythm and meter of poetry, but over time its meaning expanded to include the study of all aspects of language that involve sound, including intonation, stress, and rhythm in speech and singing. Today, "prosody" is an important area of study in linguistics, cognitive psychology, and speech therapy, as well as music and literature.