elegy
n. countable C1 Advanced US //ˈɛɫəˌdʒi// UK //ˈɛlɪdʒi// el·e·gy
n. a poem or piece of music that is written to remember and honor someone who has died. It usually has a sad or serious tone.
n. a poem or musical composition expressing sorrow for the dead. Often characterized by a somber or reflective tone and a formal structure.
The choir performed a beautiful elegy for the late composer.
The poet wrote a moving elegy to honor his friend, capturing the quiet grief of the entire community.
While many elegies focus on the pain of loss, this particular work seeks to celebrate the subject's life through a series of vivid, nostalgic images.
From Middle French elegie, from Latin elegīa, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἐλεγείᾱ (elegeíā), ellipsis of ἐλεγείᾱ ᾠδή (elegeíā ōidḗ, “an elegiac song”).