Word: elegy (noun)

Associations

An elegy is a poem or song written to express sadness, usually about someone who has died. It is a way to remember and honor a person who is gone. Elegies often have a serious and emotional tone.

• Example 1: "The poet wrote an elegy for his lost friend." This means the poet made a sad poem to remember his friend.
• Example 2: "At the funeral, they read an elegy to honor the deceased." Here, the elegy is used to show respect and sadness.
• Example 3: "Many elegies reflect on life and death, helping people cope with loss." This shows that elegies can help with feelings of grief.

Synonym: "lament" is a similar word, but a lament can be more general and not always a poem. Elegy is specifically a poem or song with a formal style, while lament can be any expression of sorrow.

Substitution

Instead of "elegy," you could say:

• "lament" (more general sadness)
• "dirge" (a funeral song, often more somber and slow)
• "threnody" (a song or poem of mourning, similar to elegy but less common) Changing the word changes the style and formality of the sadness expressed.

Deconstruction

The word "elegy" comes from the Greek word "elegeia," which means a song of mourning. It originally referred to a type of poem written in a specific meter. Over time, it came to mean any poem or song expressing sorrow for the dead.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you heard or read an elegy?
• How do you think writing or reading an elegy helps people deal with loss?
• Can an elegy be about something other than a person? What else might it mourn?