Meanings
plural palinodes
- An ode or other poem in which the author retracts something said in an earlier poem; (loosely) a recantation.First known use 17th c.
2004, Jaspitos, "I Take It Back", in The Spectator (London, UK); Jan 24, 2004. The more lighthearted palinodes were more successful, such as Geoff Horton's recantation of his youthful view that a martini should be shaken rather than stirred.
2 more examples
... Balmawhapple could not, by the code of honour, evite giving satisfaction to ... Edward by such a palinode as rendered the use of the sword unnecessary, and which, being made and accepted, must necessarily sopite the whole affair.
1814, Sir Walter Scott, Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years SinceThe close of Sins is as sober as the close of her Address to the Opposers was enthusiastic; it is almost a palinode.
2008, William McCarthy, Anna Letitia Barbauld: Voice of the Enlightenment, Johns Hopkins University Press, published 2015, page 339
Origin
- Ancient Greekπαλινῳδία“palinode”
- Latinpalinōdia“palinode, recantation”
- Middle Frenchpalinod
- Englishpalinode
From Middle French palinod, from Latin palinōdia (“palinode, recantation”), from Ancient Greek παλινῳδία (palinōidía, “palinode”), from πάλιν (pálin, “again”) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “song”).
More words from Middle French, Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek παλινῳδία
- παλινῳδία (palinōidía)poem that contradicts an earlier poem
Basque palinodia
- palinodiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Catalan palinòdia
- palinòdiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Dutch palinodie
- palinodiepoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Esperanto palinodio
- palinodiopoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Finnish palinodia
- palinodiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
French palinodie
- palinodiepoem that contradicts an earlier poem
German Palinodie
- Palinodiepoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Greek παλινωδία
- παλινωδία (palinodía)poem that contradicts an earlier poem
Italian palinodia
- palinodiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Japanese パリノード
- パリノード (parinōdo)poem that contradicts an earlier poem
Latin palinōdia
- palinōdiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Polish palinodia
- palinodiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Romanian palinodie
- palinodiepoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Russian палино́дия
- палино́дия (palinódija)poem that contradicts an earlier poem
Slovak palinódia
- palinódiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Spanish palinodia
- palinodiapoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Swedish palinodi
- palinodipoem that contradicts an earlier poem
Ukrainian паліно́дія
- паліно́дія (palinódija)poem that contradicts an earlier poem
Cite this entry
palinode. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/palinode
“palinode.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/palinode. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “palinode,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/palinode.
Source: palinode on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.