entr'acte
Americannoun
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entr'actes
plural
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the interval between two consecutive acts of a theatrical or operatic performance.
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a performance, as of music or dancing, given during such an interval.
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a piece of music or the like for such performance.
noun
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an interval between two acts of a play or opera
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(esp formerly) an entertainment during an interval, such as dancing between acts of an opera
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of entr'acte
First recorded in 1740–50; from French, equivalent to entre “between” (from Latin inter ) + acte “one of the main divisions of a play or opera”; see act
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Saturday night at Fred Kavli Theatre, Christie began with kazoos, brought in the Marcus Roberts Trio to spice up Gershwin’s Concerto in F, and turned intermission into an imaginative entr’acte.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2019
The Hateful Eight’s roadshow featured an overture of Ennio Morricone’s lush score and an entr’acte after the intermission.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 27, 2019
Just as it mattered to Soderbergh when he made the nearly five-hour biopic “Che,” which he exhibited roadshow-style, complete with old-fashioned overture and entr’acte.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 7, 2019
The blueprint was created by the great Agnes de Mille and, as far as I could tell, all of the dance breaks are there in full, as is the entire entr'acte for your listening pleasure.
From Chicago Tribune ● Jun. 7, 2011
After the entr'acte Lakme softly sings a slumber-song, simple as a child's prayer and as beautiful.
From Stars of the Opera by Mabel Wagnalls
That includes two songs for Egmont’s love, Klärchen, four entr’actes, a melodrama for Egmont as he approaches his execution and, powerfully as only Beethoven can, a battle cry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
There are a couple of entr’actes in which the clown, teased by his former supervisor, inclines toward the Grinchy.
From New York Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
His position-paper entr’actes can be awkward and artless, much like the author himself.
From New York Times ● Nov. 13, 2017
Noh is essentially the inspiration for the two-person entr’actes, called knee plays, in “Einstein on the Beach.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2016
In the entr'actes we reviewed—seated in the luxurious, spacious loge where the huge sofas and the fauteuils offered their hospitable arms—our impressions, which were ultra-enthusiastic.
From The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 by L. de (Lillie de) Hegermann-Lindencrone
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