Word
opera
US/ˈɑpɹə/
UK/ˈɒpəɹɐ/
Definitions
01musical drama
n. a play where the actors sing the words instead of speaking them, accompanied by an orchestra.
n. a theatrical work combining drama, music, and song, typically performed with an orchestra and elaborate costumes.
“We went to see a famous opera by Mozart at the city theatre.”
“The composer spent three years refining the score for his latest opera, ensuring the vocal melodies perfectly captured the tragic nature of the libretto.”
Synonyms
02the genre or art form
n. the style of music and theatre that involves singing stories.
n. the art form or genre of composing and performing musical dramas.
“She has loved opera since she was a young girl.”
“Scholars often debate the evolution of Italian opera and its influence on modern musical theatre structures.”
03the building or company
n. a building where operas are performed, or the group of people who perform them.
n. a physical venue designed for operatic performances or a professional company dedicated to the genre.
“The local opera is looking for new singers for the winter season.”
“The city's historic opera underwent a massive renovation to improve the acoustics for the resident company's upcoming tour.”
Synonyms
04plural of opus
n. the plural form of the word 'opus', meaning a collection of musical or artistic works.
n. the Latin plural of 'opus', referring to a collection of creative works, often numbered by a composer.
“The professor studied the early opera of the great German composers.”
“The catalogue includes the complete opera of the artist, spanning his early sketches to his final oil paintings.”
Academic · Formal
Usage
In modern English, 'opuses' is also an acceptable plural, but 'opera' remains standard in formal academic contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Beth Chamberlin, who played her on-screen mother in the US soap opera Guiding Light for three years, described her as "the most brilliant child actor I've ever seen".” “After Alex retired from Edinburgh in 1991, he and Rosalind moved to Cumbria, where they continued to walk with their dogs, sail, travel and attend concerts and especially operas.” “By the age of four, Hayden was in US TV show One Life to Live, then at eight joined another soap opera, Guiding Light.” Etymology
Borrowed from Italian opera. Doublet of oeuvre, opus, and ure.
From Latin opera, plural of opus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Idioms
horse opera — A theatrical production, film, or program on radio or television depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.
oat opera — A film or novel depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.