episode

[ep-uh-sohd, -zohd]

noun

1. an incident in the course of a series of events, in a person's life or experience, etc.

   Synonyms: happening

2. an incident, scene, etc., within a narrative, usually fully developed and either integrated within the main story or digressing from it.

3. one of a number of loosely connected, but usually thematically related, scenes or stories constituting a literary work.

4. epeisodion.

5. Music.,  an intermediate or digressive passage, especially in a contrapuntal composition.

6. Movies, Radio, and Television.,  any one of the separate productions that constitute a serial.

episode

/ ˈɛpɪˌsəʊd /

noun

1. an incident, event, or series of events

2. any one of the sections into which a serialized novel or radio or television programme is divided

3. an incident, sequence, or scene that forms part of a narrative but may be a digression from the main story

4. (in ancient Greek tragedy) a section between two choric songs

5. music a contrasting section between statements of the subject, as in a fugue or rondo

Word History and Origins

Origin of episode¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from Greek epeisódion “addition, parenthetic narrative, episode,” noun use of neuter of epeisódios “coming in addition,” equivalent to ep- ep- + eísod(os) “entrance” ( eis- “into” + (h)odós “road, way”) + -ios adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of episode¹

C17: from Greek epeisodion something added, from epi- (in addition) + eisodios coming in, from eis- in + hodos road

Synonym Study

See event.

Example Sentences

The episode on clouds explains how even though Benny can no longer see the sun behind the clouds, the sun is still there.

From Los Angeles Times

Wallace will be replaced by Irish chef Anna Haugh in the final episodes, as that is when the allegations against him first emerged during filming in November.

From BBC

After 52 episodes and three movies, the world of “Downton Abbey” is coming to a heartwarming conclusion — for now, at least.

From Los Angeles Times

But in the final film, he’s the Robert I so enjoyed reading in the first episode.”

From Los Angeles Times

The “Saturday Night Live” alum recounted the incident from his hospital bed during Tuesday’s episode of the “Lonely Island & Seth Meyers” podcast.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• chapter 
• event 
• experience 
• incident 
• installment 
• matter 
• thing 

When To Use

What does episode mean?

Episode most generally refers to a specific incident in a continuous series of events, an occurrence of a recurring event, or an installment or entry in a series.Episode is perhaps most popularly used in a more specific way to refer to one of the parts that a TV series is divided into, as in I’ve seen every single episode of The Office. Such episodes are often like chapters of a larger story, though each one may be unrelated other than being part of the same series. This sense of the word can also be applied to other forms of entertainment, especially ones you watch or listen to, such as podcasts, radio shows, or video series. (In contrast, parts in a periodical series, such as a comic book, aren’t commonly called episodes but are instead referred to with other terms, such as issue or edition.)More generally, episode can refer to a particular part of a story or narrative, such as a scene or sequence within a novel.In the context of real life, the word episode can refer to a specific period in a person’s life, especially one that’s distinct, such as due to being a life-changing or defining experience, as in The year that we moved to a new city was one of the particularly memorable episodes of my childhood. This sense of episode means something like a chapter in the story of someone’s life.The word can also refer to an instance of experiencing something that’s recurring, such as a medical or mental health issue, as in The patient has a history of depressive episodes.The adjective episodic can be used to describe things that occur occasionally or things that are divided into episodes.Example: The show’s final episode is scheduled to air on Thursday night.