— calypsonian /keuh lip soh"nee euhn, kal'ip-/ , n. , adj.
/keuh lip"soh/ , n. , pl. Calypsos , v.
n.
1. Also, Kalypso . Class. Myth. a sea nymph who detained Odysseus on the island of Ogygia for seven years.
2. ( l.c. ) Also called fairy-slipper . a terrestrial orchid, Calypso bulbosa, of the Northern Hemisphere, having a single variegated purple, yellow, and white flower.
3. ( l.c. ) a musical style of West Indian origin, influenced by jazz, usually having topical, often improvised, lyrics.
v.i.
4. ( l.c. ) to sing or dance to calypso.
[ the name of the musical style is of obscure orig. and perh. only copies the sp. of Calypso the sea nymph ]