Calypso Definition

kə-lĭpsō
calypsoes, calypsos
noun
calypsos
A calypso song or calypso music.
Webster's New World
An orchid (Calypso bulbosa) growing in boggy regions of the Northern Hemisphere: its solitary pink flower has purple or yellow markings.
Webster's New World
In Homer's Odyssey, a sea nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island for seven years.
Webster's New World
A type of music that originated in the West Indies, notably in Trinidad, and is characterized by improvised lyrics on topical or broadly humorous subjects.
American Heritage

A light blue color.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
  • Calypso bulbosa
  • fairy-slipper
pronoun
Alternative capitalization of calypso.
Wiktionary

(Greek mythology) A sea nymph who entertained Odysseus on her island, Ogygia, for seven years.

Wiktionary

(astronomy) The eighth moon of Saturn.

Wiktionary
adjective
Designating or of songs improvised and sung as originally by the native people of Trinidad: they are satirical ballads, usually topical, characterized by wrenched syllabic stress and syncopated rhythms.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Calypso

Noun

Singular:
calypso
Plural:
calypsoes, calypsos

Origin of Calypso

  • Probably alteration (influenced by Calypso in reference to the nymph's island home) of Caribbean English kaliso variant of kariso variant of kaiso bravo (shout of approval for a Calypsonian's performance), Calypso music from ka iso! shout of encouragement with which West Indian slaves accompanied singers singing satirical songs about plantation owners and overseers from Efik ka isu go on (imperative form) (from ka go, advance) (isu face, front, forward) and its Ibibio equivalent kaa iso

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Originally Trinidad English, an alteration of kaiso, perhaps ultimately of African origin; Allsopp 1996 suggests Ibibio ka iso (“come on”), used to urge dancers on. The spelling reflects a later folk-etymological assimilation with the mythological name Calypso.

    From Wiktionary

  • Latin Calypsō from Greek Kalupsō from kaluptein to conceal kel-1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin, itself from Ancient Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypsō, “name of a sea nymph”)

    From Wiktionary

  • Probably Latin Calypsō Calypso Calypso1

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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