μέλος .μέλος, εος, a limb, Hom., etc.; μελέων ἔντοσθε within my bodily frame, Aesch.; κατὰ μέλεα limb by limb, like μελεϊστί, Hdt. a song, strain, Hhymn., etc.:—esp. of lyric poetry, ἐν μέλεϊ ποιέειν to write in lyric strain, Hdt.; μέλη, τά, lyric poetry, the choral songs, opp. to the dialogue, Plat. the music to which a song is set, the tune, Plat.; ἐν μέλει in tune, Plat.; παρὰ μέλος, out of tune, Plat.