scolion

9.9

A short song guests sing at an ancient Greek banquet

noun
/ˈskoʊliˌɒn/

Archaic

: escolión

The guests sang a scolion to celebrate the occasion.

Examples

He composed a witty scolion that delighted everyone at the banquet.
During the banquet, they performed a lively scolion.
During the symposium, each guest was invited to perform a scolion as part of the evening’s entertainment.
Scholars have studied the role of the scolion in fostering social bonds in ancient Greece.
During the symposium, each guest was invited to perform a scolion as part of the evening’s entertainment.
He composed a witty scolion that delighted everyone at the banquet.
The guests sang a scolion to celebrate the occasion.

Synonyms

banquet song

vsscolion

6.3

A song guests often make up and sing at a banquet

is the same but specific to ancient Greek feasts

melic verse

vsscolion

Literature

9.9

A poem that people sing, like ancient Greek songs

is an improvised social piece by attendees rather than formal lyric poetry

Surface Forms

scolion singular

scolions plural

Etymology

Scolion comes from an old Greek word skolios meaning 'crooked' or 'bent'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine guests at a banquet taking turns to sing lines so the song 'bends' from person to person, which is why a scolion is a short, often improvised song sung by guests at a party.