Word of the Day - 11/21/25
palinode
/ˈpæləˌnoʊd/(n.): a poem in which the poet retracts a view expressed in a previous poem
After public outcry, the poet published a palinode, recanting the controversial opinions he'd put forth in his earlier work.
Word Origin
The word 'palinode' originates from Late Latin 'palinodia', which itself comes from Ancient Greek 'palinōidia'. This Greek term is formed from 'palin' (πάλιν), meaning 'back' or 'again', and 'aeidein' (ἀείδειν), meaning 'to sing'. Therefore, a palinode is a poem or song in which the author retracts something said in an earlier work.
Words with similar origins include 'palindrome', which shares 'palin-' meaning 'back' or 'again', referring to a word or phrase that reads the same backward as forward. 'Ode' also shares the Greek root 'aeidein' (to sing), referring to a lyric poem.