Reverse Dictionary: MUSIC

ADJECTIVES
​► BUTTERY mellow, smooth, and pleasant; said of music, sound, etc. → 1864
► CANOROUS musical, singing, melodious; resonant, ringing → 1646
► CORN-FED of music: countrified or out-of-style → 1929 Amer. dial.
► CRANKIN’ excellent; esp. in music → 20C teen & high school sl.
► DANCEY suitable for dancing to; said of music → E20 colloq.
► DINKY pleasant, easy-listening; said of music → 1976 UK sl.
► EFFEMINATE soft, voluptuous; said of music, odours, etc. → 1674 obs.
► FUNKED OUT in the style of the music and clothes promoted by the funk banks of the 1970s, esp. George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic → 1990s sl.
► FUNKIFIED tending toward a hard-edged, urban, Black 1970s style in music → 1970s US sl.
► FUNKY said of a nitty-gritty truly felt blues mood in jazz, and therefore in the people who produce this art form → 1950s sl., orig. US
► HARMONIAC relating to the cultivation of music → 1771 obs.
► HARMONICAL 1. harmonious, sweet-sounding, tuneful; said of musical notes → a1500 obs.
2. ​belonging to or relating to music; musical → 1603 obs.
► HOMOROCK featuring rock music played by homosexuals → 1990s US sl.
► HOTCHA of music, esp. jazz: exciting, lively; marked by a strong rhythm → 1930
► LACED mixed; said of music → 2000s sl.
► LAID-BACK soothing; said of popular music → 1969 US colloq.
► LUSTY merry, cheerful; said of music, singing, festivities → 1430-40 arch.
► MELOPHONIC musical; relating to or concerned with music → 1843
► MUSICAL-HEADED music-loving → 1587 obs.
► MUSO musical → 1967 sl.
► NEW SCHOOL recent or new; said of rap music → 1990s sl.
► OFF THE DOME ► OFF THE TOP OF THE DOME spontaneous, composed as one goes along; said of rap lyrics → 1980s African-American sl.
► OFF THE HOOK wonderful; exciting; impressive; said of rap music → 1996 Amer. sl.
► OLD SCHOOL ► OLD SKOOL used of anything pertaining to the early days of the musical styles, esp. the work of such performers as Grandmaster Flash, or Afrika Bambaataa → 1980s rap music sl., orig. African-American
► ORPHEAN relating to Orpheus, as musician and singer, who was said to move rocks and trees by the strains of his lyre; hence: melodious, musical, entrancing → 1593
► PRIMO  of a musician, performer, etc. – first, principal, chief; of highest quality or importance → 1740
► RIGADIG with a regular rhythmical beat; jaunty, merry; said of music → 1851
► ROCKY characteristic of rock music; featuring loud distorted guitars and a strong rhythm → L20
► ROOTSY traditional, ethnic; not commercialized; said of music → L20 colloq.
► ROOTY-TOOT noisy and lively; said of music, esp. early jazz → L20 sl., chiefly US
► SMOOCHY suitable for slow, romantic dancing; said of music → 1966 UK sl.
► SOUR of music: out of tune → 1937
► TRANCEY of trance music → 1998 UK sl.
► UNAIRABLE not capable of forming good music → a1619 obs.
► WANTON gay, lively; said of music → 1583 obs.

ADVERBS
► FALSE of music: out of tune, incorrectly → 1591 obs.

NOUNS
► ABUSAK elevator music → 20C teen & high school sl.
► ACID JAZZ a kind of popular dance music incorporating elements of jazz, funk, and hip hop → 1999 sl.
► ACID ROCK a type of rock music associated with the taking of hallucinogenic drugs → 1966 sl.
► AFROBEAT a style of popular music incorporating elements of African music and jazz, soul, and funk → 1971
► AIREL musical tones of whatever kind → 1898 Sc. (Bk.)
► AMYL HOUSE a dance music genre → 1996 UK sl.
► BALLISTICS vivid, forcefully delivered rap lyrics → 1991 US rap music usage
► BOOGIE boogie-woogie → M20
► BOOGIE-WOOGIE a percussive style of playing blues, esp. on piano, with a repetitive bass figure → E20
► CANT musical sound, singing → 1501 obs.
► CHITLIN CIRCUIT  ► CHITLINS CIRCUIT  the bars, lounges, clubs, etc. at which Black artists perform before a hit recording opens the door to major White outlets → 1974 Amer. music industry usage
► CHOPS musical ability → 1968 US sl.
► CLINKER a wrong musical note, a discord; an error in performance, a blunder → 1930s N. Amer. sl.
► DADROCK rock music pf tje 1990s that sounds like music from a generation earlier → 1999 UK sl.
► DARKSIDE a category of rave music → 2002 UK sl.
► DIDDLE a jingle of music, as of a fiddle → 1806 Sc.
► DIDDLING keeping time to music with the feet → 1835 Sc.
► EAR CANDY music that is pleasant or sweet to the ear → 1984 US sl.
► EAR-SPORTS entertainments of music or song → 1870 Amer.
► FAKE BOOK a book of chords used by musicians who improvise off the basic chords → 1970 US sl.
► FANGS musical ability → 1958 US sl.
► FINGER-POPPER a piece of music with a compelling rhythm, one that lends itself to ‘popping’ one’s fingers → c1959 Amer. dial.
► FOOTBALL a simple musical accompaniment used when a performer is ad libbing → 1973 US sl.
► FREAK ROCK a musical style allegedly influenced by, and purporting to recreate the sensations of, LSD and other similar psychedelics → 1960s sl.
► FUNK the ‘soul’ quality in Black music; the melancholy mood of the blues → 1950s US sl.
► GANGSTA RAP ► G-RAP a rap music genre characterized by explicit sex and violence which, it is claimed, reflects Black urban existence → 1992 US sl.
► GET OFF an improvised solo in swing music → 20C sl.
► GIG a playing date or engagement, esp. a one-night job → 1905 Amer. jazz musicians’ usage
► GRUNGE a form of rock music, epitomized by the work of the Seattle band Nirvana, but first used in relation to the New York Dolls, c1973 → 1970s sl.
► HOUSE a kind of dance music derived from soul, rock, and jazz, with a strong percussive bear, originally a Black Chicago style → 1980s Amer. sl.
► JANGLE a musical session → 1938 Amer. dial.
► JIVE ON THE BOX music on the radio → 1943 Amer. sl.
► KICKER MUSIC country and western music → 1986 Amer. dial.
► KRAUTROCK German rock music → 1975 UK sl.
► MEET a session in which musicians collectively improve; a jam session → 1957 US sl.
► MELOMANIA an abnormal liking for music and melody → 1991 (Bk.)
► MUSICALNESS a being musical → 1678
► MUSICNESS a being musical → 1633
► MUSICOGRAPHY 1. the art of writing music; musical notation → 1839 obs.
2. a writing on the subject of music → 1901
► MUSICOMANIA an abnormal fondness for music → 1991 (Bk.)
► MUSICOPHOBIA an intense dislike of music → 1991 (Bk.)
► MUSICRY the art or practice of music → 1598
► MUSOMANIA an abnormal fondness for music → 1833 obs.
► OLD-FOGEYISM a term for a blues singer’s style; a blues style with strong African and Delta roots → 1900s African-American sl., derogatory
► OPUSCLE a musical work of small size → 1658
► OPUSCULE a musical work of small size → 1656
► OPUSCULUM a musical work of small size → 1654
► PHAT FLAVOR good music → 1998 teen sl. (Bk.)
► POMP ROCK a genre of rock music, esp. prevalent in the late 1970s and early 1980s, typically characterized by prominent keyboards and drums, and heavy use of guitar effects, often regarded as bombastic or grandiose in its delivery → 1978
► QUO VADIS unfashionable or unpopular music → 2003 UK sl.
► RAMA-LAMA rock ‘n’ roll music → 2001 UK sl.
► RAP a style of music with singing or chanting of the lyrics against a heavy bass line, usually produced by a drum → 1979 orig. US colloq.
► RAPPING performing rap music → 1980s sl., orig. African-American
► RIFF a rhythmic musical phrase played repeatedly; used in jazz and rock → 1935 US sl.
► RIFFAGE rhythmic style(s) of rock music → 2002 UK sl.
► ROARATORIO an oratorio → 1785 sl.
► ROCKABILLY a type of popular music originating in the southeastern US, combining elements of rock and roll and hillbilly music → M20
► ROCKABOOGIE a type of popular music combining elements of rock and roll and boogie-woogie → M20
► ROCKISM the theory that traditional rock music is a more authentic form of popular music than pop music → E20
► SALON MUSIC light classical music intended esp. for domestic entertaining → 1914 sometimes derogatory
► SKA a rhythmic musical style that evolved into reggae → 1993 Jamaica
► SKIFFLE a music genre, a sort of poor man’s rock ‘n’ roll, played on homemade or low budget instruments; popular in the late 1950s → 1957 UK
► SMOOCHER a song or piece of music suitable for accompanying slow, close dancing → 1976
► SOUL SOUND good music → 1970 US sl. (Bk.)
► SOUND music, melody → 1320 obs.
► SOUNDS music; good music; recorded music → 1955 US sl.
► SPOTS the music symbols on sheet music → 1920s African-American sl.
► STACK an assemblage of loudspeakers → 1996 UK rock music sl.
► SYMPHONIA harmony of sound, esp. of musical sounds → 1579
► TECHNOPOP popular music using much technical equipment → 1990s US sl.
► TEERY-LARRY ► TEERY-LEERY ► TERRY-LERRY ► TIRRA-LIRRA ► TYRA-LYRA an imitation of a musical sound → 1611
► THRUM a musical sound; a hum → 1818 Sc.
► TIN PAN ALLEY the centre of the music business, esp. that area where music writers, lyricists and song pluggers have their offices → L19 sl.
► TONATION a producing musical tones; the tones or notes so produced → 1728 obs.
► TUNE THE OLD COW DIED OF any discordant music → 1898
► VERSIONING a technique in hip-hop music of blending different periods and styles of recorded music → 2000 US sl.

NOUNS – PERSON
► ALLIGATOR an active devotee of swing and jive music, dancing, and speech → 1930s Amer. jive talk usage
► AXMAN a musician, esp. a guitarist → 1970s sl., orig. African-American
► BANDER a member of a band of musicians → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BARD a strolling musician or minstrel → 1449 Sc.
► BAZOOKAH FROM PADUCAH a corny musician → 1945 jive usage (Bk.)
► B-BOY a rap music devotee → 20C teen & high school sl., (B = Beat)
► B-GIRL a Black female teenager, focused on rap music and the ghetto street lifestyle → 1980s African-American sl.
► BLOWING CAT a jazz musician → 1956 US sl.
► BOSHMEN musicians in general; fiddlers → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► BOTTLER an itinerant musician’s travelling companion → 1996 Irish sl.
► CALLITHUMP ► CALLITHUMPIAN a band or member of a band that makes discordant so-called music by playing a number of instruments, either in an unlikely combination or conjured up from unlikely objects, such as washboards, tin kettles, etc. → M19 US sl.
► CREAKING GATE an inferior musician → 1942 US sl. (Bk.)
► CROTCHET-HERO a musician → 1807 humorous usage
► DEATH-HEAD a fan of Goth music → 1990s sl.
► DIDDYBOPPER ► DITTYBOPPER a person who moves or sways to music → 1980s African-American sl.
► FATS a jazz musician → 1910s sl., orig. African-American
► FRONTMAN the leader of most prominent member of a group of musicians → 1937 orig. US
► FUNKATEER a person who likes funk music → 1950s sl., orig. African-American
► GANGSTA a performer or fan of gangsta rap → 1989
► GANGSTA RAPPER ► GANGSTER RAPPER a rap artist, who reflects on the Black urban experience in an explicitly sexual and violent manner → 1989 US sl.
► GARAGE BAND an amateur rock group with a basic, three-chord approach to music → 1977 US sl.
► GIGOUR a musician; a fiddler → a1300 obs.
► GIGSTER a person who performs at concerts or engagements for musicians playing jazz, dance music, etc. → 1939
► GLEEK a musician → 1832 (Bk.)
► GLEEMAN a musician, singer, or minstrel at social gatherings → c897 obs.
► GLITTER ROCKER a performer of rock music who wears glittering makeup and costumes → 1976 
► HAIRCUT BAND a band that is mocked for being more interested in style than music →1980s sl.
► HARMONIAN a person versed in harmony or music; a musician → 1603 obs.
► HARMONICIAN a person versed in harmony or musical theory → 1760 obs.
► JAM BAND a musical band known for long improvisations → 1981 US
► JAMMER a player of music → 1980s US sl.
► JAZZ BABY a person, esp. an attractive young woman, who is a fan of jazz music → 1919 Amer. sl.
► JAZZBO a man who is a jazz enthusiast; a jazz musician → 1921 Amer. dial.
► METAL HEAD a person who likes heavy metal music → 1989 US students’ sl.  (Bk.)
► METALLURGIST a heavy-metal musician → 1970s US sl.
► METAL-MONGER a heavy metal musician → 1996 colloq.
► MICKEY a second-rate, commercial band playing uninspired music → 1940s US sl.
► MONSTER a musician or singer of very broad public appeal; a musical superstar → 1975 sl., esp. US 
► MUSICASTER a musician of mediocre ability → 1838 depreciative usage
► MUSIC-GRINDER an itinerant street musician; a person paid to supply music on request → 1803
► MUSICIANER ► MUSITIONER a musician → 1540 colloq.
► MUSICIANESS a female musician → 1829
► MUSICIST a musician → 1873
► MUSICKER a musician → 1927 Amer. dial.
► MUSIC MAN a musician, a singer; a man who provides music → 1569
► MUSICO a musician, esp. a singer or other performer → 1724 arch.
► MUSICOGRAPHER a writer on musical subjects → 1884
► MUSICOPHILE a music lover → 1991 (Bk.)
► MUSIC-SMITH a craftsman who makes the metal parts and implements required by musicians → 1856 obs.
► MUSO 1. a musician, esp. a professional one → 1967 Aust. sl.
2. a musician, esp. a pop musician, regarded as being overconcerned with technique rather than musical content or expression → 1977 Brit. sl.
► MUTHAH a fan of heavy-metal music → heavy-metal sl.
► PAD an itinerant musician → 1902 sl. (Bk.)
► PAL a studio musician → 1982 US sl.
► PANATIC a devoted, die-hard fan of steelband music → 1988 Trinidad and Tobago
► PHILADELPHIA MAFIA recording artists, record producers, and radio personalities based in Philadelphia in the late 1950s → 1982 US sl.
► PUNK an adherent of a youth sub-culture first coalescing in 1976 around punk rock music → 1970s sl.
► PUNKETTE a young female punk rocker → sl.
► QUAVER a musician → c1860 sl.
► RAPPER a practitioner or devotee of rap music → 1970s sl., orig. African-American
► RAPTAVIST a politically active rap artist → 1980s African-American sl.
► ROCKABILLY a performer or devotee of a type of popular music originating in the southeastern US, combining elements of rock and roll and hillbilly music → M20
► ROCKER a person who performs, dances to, or enjoys rock music; spec., one associated with long hair, leather jackets, and motorcycles → M20
► ROCKIST an adherent or supporter of rockism (see noun) → L20
► ROCKSTER a performer of rock music → 1960
► SENDER a pop musician; who pleases or delights → 1935 sl., orig. & chiefly US
► SIGHTSMAN a person who reads or performs music at sight → 1776
► SWINGSTER a musician who plays jazz with swing → 1937 sl.
► TECH HEAD a musician who has a huge amount of sound equipment → 1990s US sl.
► THRUMMER 1. an itinerant musician → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
2. a contemptible musician → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► TIMER a musician; one who is skilled in time or measure → c1500 obs.
► TIMIST a person who keeps correct time in music → 1765
► TUNESTER a songwriter or singer; a musician, a composer → 1903 chiefly US
► TWANGLING JACK a musician → 1886 opprobrious usage (Bk.)
► VAMPER a person who improvises music, especially accompaniments on the pianoforte → 1884
► VARIATIONIST a person who composes musical variations → 1901
► WAITS a band of musicians and singers who walk the streets by night at the approach of Christmas and the New Year playing and singing carols and other seasonable music for gratuities → 1773
► WIG a cool jazz musician → 1950s jazz musicians sl.
► WOOF-HOUND a swing music fan → c1935 Amer. jitterbug sl. 
► ZOID a fan of punk rock and its attendant styles → 1984 US students’ sl.

NOUNS – PERSON – OTHER
► BAND RAT a woman who associates herself with musicians usually offering sex in return for proxy celebrity → 1940s sl.
► GITTER a fan of ‘heavy metal’ music → 2001 UK teen sl.

VERBS
► BANG OUT to play music loudly → 1996 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► BLOW ONE’S TOP to play a musical passage with skill and enthusiasm → 1975 US sl. (Bk.)
► BRING THE NOISE to play music; to have a wild party or good time → 1972 Amer. sl.
► CALAMIZE to pipe or sing → 1656 obs.
► CARVE to outplay another musician in a competition of solos → 1883 US jazz sl.
► CRANK to turn up the volume of music to very loud → 1994 US sl.
► DIDDLE to keep time to music with the feet → 1733 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► DROP to sing or perform rap music; to release a musical recording; to select and play a record → L20 sl.
► DROP A JEWEL to create rap music or lyrics → 1991 US sl.
► FAKE to play music by ear → c1920 Can. dance-bands’ usage
► JAZZ to play or dance to jazz music → 1917 Amer. sl.
► MISSOUND of music: to sound wrong, out of tune, or displeasing → 1500 obs.
► MUSICALIZE to set to music, as a novel, play, etc.; to express in a manner suggestive of music → 1919
► MUSICATE to set to music → 1614 obs.
► NOODLE to play music in a tentative, exploratory fashion → 1937 US sl.
► PAT to tap or stamp one’s foot or clap one’s hands in time to music or dancing; to beat time → 1848 Amer. dial., chiefly African-American
► PRESS THE ETHER to play music → 1950s African-American sl.
► RAG to play or dance to ragtime music → 1900s US sl.
► RIFF to repeatedly play a rhythmic musical figure, usually on a piano or guitar → 1955 US sl.
► ROCK A BEAT to play music → 1990s African-American sl.
► ROCK OUT to perform rock music loudly and vigorously, to enjoy oneself enthusiastically esp. by dancing to rock music → colloq.
► SEE to read music → 1930s African-American jazz sl.
► SEND to be deeply moved by music → 1900s African-American sl.
► SPREAD ONE’S JENK to sing or enjoy music → 1920s African-American sl.
► SYMPHONIZE to accompany musically → 1801
► TALK GREASY to rap smoothly and stylishly → 2000s African-American sl.
► UP to play music → 1950s African-American sl.
► VAMP to accompany a singer by ear → 1851 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► WHALE to play music with passion and gusto → 1958 US sl.