soprano

1 of 2

adjective

so·​pra·​no sə-ˈpra-(ˌ)nō  -ˈprä- 

: relating to or having the range or part of a soprano

soprano

2 of 2

noun

plural sopranos

1

: the highest singing voice of women or boys and formerly of castrati

also : a person having this voice

2

: the highest voice part in a 4-part chorus

3

: a member of a family of instruments having the highest range

Examples of soprano in a Sentence

Noun

She sings in a high soprano.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Following a meteoric rise through the world’s concert halls and opera houses — and a headline-making solo recital last season in New York — the Norwegian soprano is now one of the most esteemed vocal artists navigating an astounding career. —Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2025

Born in Portland, Maine, to Lucille Potter Lavin, who was once a coloratura soprano opera singer onstage and on the radio, Lavin first took the stage at the age of 5. —Carmel Dagan, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024

Image Linda Lavin was born on Oct. 15, 1937, in Portland, Maine, the second child of Lucille (Potter) Lavin, a former operatic soprano, and David Joseph Lavin, a businessman. —Anita Gates, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024

Luckily, McDonald’s operatic soprano does much of that bridging work, connecting her Rose not to the bright trumpet hotcha of vaudeville but to the mad arias of Lucia di Lammermoor. —Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Italian, adjective & noun, from sopra above, from Latin supra — more at supra-

First Known Use

Adjective

1730, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing soprano

• mezzo-soprano

Kids Definition

soprano

1 of 2 adjective

so·​pra·​no sə-ˈpran-ō  -ˈprän- 

1

: relating to the soprano voice or part

2

: having a high range

soprano sax

soprano

2 of 2 noun

plural sopranos

1

: the highest voice part in harmony for four parts with men's and women's voices compare alto sense 1b, bass entry 2 sense 1a, tenor sense 2a

2

: the highest singing voice of women or boys

also : a person with this voice

Etymology

Adjective

from Italian soprano "relating to a soprano or soprano part," from sopra "above," from Latin supra "above"