mezzo-soprano

noun

mez·​zo-so·​pra·​no ˌmet-(ˌ)sō-sə-ˈpra-(ˌ)nō 

-ˈprä-,

ˌmed-(ˌ)zō-

: a woman's voice with a range between soprano and contralto

also : a singer having this voice

Examples of mezzo-soprano in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Played with ease and devastating depth by the up-and-coming mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, Jess is a fighter pilot in the Iraq war whose unexpected pregnancy forces her to become a drone pilot and confront the emotional and psychological toll of war-via-joystick. —Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2024

Directed by John Fulljames with mezzo-soprano Irene Roberts in the starring role of Offred, seven performances are on the calendar, continuing through Oct. 1. —Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2024

The evening began with an homage to Maria Callas, as mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre took center stage, followed by a spoken word performance from actor Amira Casar, the evening’s host. —Sam Sussman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2024

My favorite performance of the night was mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle as meddlesome maid Despina, rendered here as a lovably troublesome and vaguely goth pot-stirrer. —Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 22 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Italian mezzosoprano, from mezzo + soprano soprano

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mezzo-soprano

noun

mez·​zo-so·​pra·​no

ˌmet-sō-sə-ˈpran-ō,

ˌmed-zō-,

-ˈprän-

: a woman's voice between that of the soprano and contralto

also : a singer having such a voice