ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lied

n.
US //ˈɫaɪd// lied
  1. 1 German art song (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Music

    a type of German song for a singer and a piano, usually part of classical music.

    a German-language art song from the Romantic period, typically composed for solo voice with piano accompaniment.

    Example

    The singer performed a beautiful lied by Schubert during the concert.

    Example

    The recital featured a selection of nineteenth-century Lieder, demonstrating the intricate relationship between the poetic text and the piano accompaniment.

    Usage

    The plural form is 'Lieder'.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a highly specialised term; outside of classical music contexts, students will almost exclusively encounter 'lied' as the past tense of the verb 'lie'.
    • art song
Etymology 1

Borrowed from German Lied (“song”). Doublet of leed, which was inherited by Old English lēoþ (“poem”).

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026