'ariose' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'arioso', where 'aria' meant 'air' or 'song' and the suffix '-ose' (from Latin '-ōsus') meant 'full of'.

'ariose' changed from Italian 'arioso' and was adopted into English through musical/vernacular borrowings from Italian (and via French influence on musical terms), eventually becoming the modern English word 'ariose'.

Initially it meant 'in the manner of an aria' (i.e., 'song-like'), and over time it has remained and consolidated into the current meaning 'melodious; lyrical'.