coda

noun

co·​da ˈkō-də How to pronounce coda (audio)
1
a
: a concluding musical section that is formally distinct from the main structure
b
: a concluding part of a literary or dramatic work
2
: something that serves to round out, conclude, or summarize and usually has its own interest

Examples of coda in a Sentence

The movie's coda shows the main character as an adult 25 years later.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pardons were a remarkable coda to Mr. Biden’s 50-year political career, underscoring the mistrust and anger that the president feels about Mr. Trump, the man who preceded and will succeed him in office. Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025 Lamar’s surprise album was a drop-everything coda to his beef with Drake, full of lyrical Easter eggs to keep fans talking. Justin Curto, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025 And yet his flair for provocation persists in the film’s scorpion sting of a coda, which brings forth a new interpretation of László’s legacy: one that essentially recasts his work as stealth propaganda, a Zionist Trojan horse. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024 The producers of the show received a troubling phone call from Antwon in 2023 — and an audio recording of that call served as the cliff-hanging coda of the last episode of the docuseries' previous season. Nicole Acosta, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for coda 

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, tail, from Latin cauda

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of coda was in 1740

Dictionary Entries Near coda

Cite this Entry

“Coda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coda. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

coda

noun
co·​da ˈkōd-ə How to pronounce coda (audio)
: a closing section in a musical composition
Etymology

Italian, literally, "tail," from Latin coda, cauda "tail" — related to coward, cue entry 3, queue see Word History at coward, queue

More from Merriam-Webster on coda

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