Word
Definitions
01group of musicians
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Music
n. a large group of people who play instruments together, usually including violins, flutes, and drums.
n. a large ensemble of musicians playing various instruments, typically including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
日本語:オーケストラ※
“The orchestra practiced for weeks before their big concert at the town hall.”
“The conductor led the orchestra through a demanding repertoire that showcased the technical precision of the woodwind section.”
02seating area for musicians
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Theater
n. the area in a theatre, usually in front of and below the stage, where the musicians sit.
n. the designated space in a theatre or concert hall where the musicians perform, often situated in a pit below stage level.
“From our seats in the balcony, we could look down into the orchestra.”
“The acoustics of the newly renovated orchestra were designed to project sound clearly even to the furthest rows of the gallery.”
Synonyms
03Ancient Greek theatre space
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Theater Technical · Academic
n. the circular or semicircular space in an ancient Greek theatre where the singers and dancers performed.
n. the circular or semicircular space in front of the proscenium in an ancient Greek theatre, primarily used by the chorus.
“In ancient Greece, the chorus performed their dances in the orchestra.”
“Archaeological excavations revealed that the orchestra of the Hellenistic theatre was originally paved with decorative marble.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “orchestra” in context.
Verb
01. conduct an orchestra
“The maestro was invited to conduct the symphony orchestra for the season finale.”
verb + noun
02. join an orchestra
“After years of private practice, she finally decided to join a local youth orchestra.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. chamber orchestra
“A small chamber orchestra performed the Baroque concertos in the chapel.”
adj + noun
04. full orchestra
“The composer wrote the piece for a full orchestra, including a large percussion section.”
adj + noun
05. symphony orchestra
“The city's symphony orchestra is world-renowned for its interpretations of Mahler.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. member of the orchestra
“Each member of the orchestra must attend the dress rehearsal on Friday evening.”
noun + of + noun
07. orchestra conductor
“The orchestra conductor raised his baton, and the room fell silent.”
noun + noun
08. orchestra pit
“The musicians were warming up in the orchestra pit before the musical began.”
noun + noun
Preposition
09. in the orchestra
“My sister plays the cello in the national youth orchestra.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“The Copland got off to an uneven start, the orchestra never quite capturing the mystery of the open prairie, though at full-throttle they certainly caught its majesty.” “By National Youth Orchestra standards, this Proms appearance – the all-guns-blazing finale of the cohort’s year together – was positively straight-laced.” Etymology
Via Latin orchēstra, itself lifted from Ancient Greek ὀρχήστρα (orkhḗstra), the space where dancers moved in the Greek theatre; the noun is formed from the verb ὀρχέομαι, "to dance".
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/orchestra
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR