opera

1 of 2

plural of opus

opera

2 of 2

noun

op·​era ˈä-p(ə-)rə How to pronounce opera (audio)
 Southern also  ˈä-prē
1
: a drama set to music and made up of vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment and orchestral overtures (see overture entry 1 sense 2) and interludes (see interlude sense 2)
specifically : grand opera
Beethoven composed only one opera.
2
: the score (see score entry 1 sense 6) of a musical drama
The composer finished the opera in just six weeks.
3
: the performance of an opera
The opera was delayed a half hour due to technical difficulties.
also : a house where operas are performed
We'll meet you at the opera at 7 p.m.

Examples of opera in a Sentence

Noun I am going to an opera tonight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In trying to make pieces of this opera feel closer to home, Treliński’s vision only makes the whole feel far more removed — a mix of high-resolution and stubborn abstraction that feels oddly at odds with itself. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 The work, which is sort of a combination of opera, drama and musical theater, requires massive forces: a full orchestra, a full choir and no fewer than seven solo vocalists. Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 He has been married to opera singer Isobel Buchanan since 1980; one of their two daughters is actress Georgia King. Katie Rife, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2024 These educational and outreach organizations helped promote local interest in opera and the NNOC’s performances. Michael J. Solender, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024 Tonally, rhythmically, even physically, singers have nothing to lean on in Cage’s operas. Joshua Barone, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 What works well is the constant tension housed under the studio roof, with the basest and most offensive humor imaginable paired with the pleasing sounds of opera. David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024 Italian opera plays over the speakers as couples and coworkers sit together having the kind of leisurely conversations usually reserved for dinner. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2024 At night, catch a performance at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, a cultural institution adjacent to the casino known for world class performances of classic European operas. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opera.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Italian, "work, labor, artistic production, drama set to music (originally short for opera musicale, opera in musica)," going back to Latin, "activity, effort, attention, work," collective derivative from oper-, opus "work, effort, product of labor" — more at opus

First Known Use

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of opera was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near opera

Cite this Entry

“Opera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opera. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

opera

1 of 2

plural of opus

opera

2 of 2 noun
op·​era ˈäp-(ə-)rə How to pronounce opera (audio)
1
: a play in which usually the entire text is sung with orchestral accompaniment
2
: the performance of an opera
operatic
ˌäp-ə-ˈrat-ik
adjective
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