libretto

noun

li·​bret·​to lə-ˈbre-(ˌ)tō 

plural librettos or libretti lə-ˈbre-(ˌ)tē 

1

: the text of a work (such as an opera) for the musical theater

2

: the book containing a libretto

Examples of libretto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Amanda Seyfried plays Jeanine, a theater director with mental health issues who fights to cope with the stress of putting together a production of Salome, a Richard Strauss opera featuring a German translation of Wilde’s play as its libretto. —E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025

Gian Carlo Menotti, his partner and an experienced hand at opera, wrote the libretto and directed. —Joshua Barone, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025

Despite the patchwork libretto, Handel ingeniously parlayed Jennens’ quotations and paraphrases from the Old and New testaments into unexpected evocations of wonder and awe. —Bob Blaisdell, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024

Complex issues are simplified in Vavrek’s libretto. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, diminutive of libro book, from Latin libr-, liber

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for libretto

• hereto
• magneto
• palmetto
• stiletto
• whereto
• allegretto
• lazaretto
• ghetto
• seto

Kids Definition

libretto

noun

li·​bret·​to lə-ˈbret-ō 

plural librettos or libretti -ē 

: the text of an opera or musical