M — Melanosperm to Meloe (Part 6 of 6)

2. (Mus.) A rhythmical succession of single tones, ranging for the most part within a given key, and so related together as to form a musical whole, having the unity of what is technically called a musical thought, at once pleasing to the ear and characteristic in expression.

Melody consists in a succession of single tones; harmony is a consonance or agreement of tones, also a succession of consonant musical combinations or chords.

3. The air or tune of a musical piece.

Syn. — See Harmony.

Meloe
(||Mel"o*e) [ NL., fr. Gr. to probe a wound.] (Zoöl.) A genus of beetles without wings, but having short oval elytra; the oil beetles. These beetles are sometimes used instead of cantharides for raising blisters. See Oil beetle, under Oil.