aria

¹

[ ahr-ee-uh, air-ee-uh ]

noun

1. an air or melody.
2. an elaborate melody sung solo with accompaniment, as in an opera or oratorio.

Aria

²

[ ahr-ee-uh, uh-rahy-uh ]

noun

, Classical Mythology.

1. a nymph, the mother of Miletus, by Apollo.

-aria

³

1. a suffix occurring in scientific terms of Latin origin, especially in names of biological genera and groups:

   filaria.

aria

/ ˈɑːrɪə /

noun

1. See da capo
   an elaborate accompanied song for solo voice from a cantata, opera, or oratorio See also da capo

aria

1. A piece of music for one voice (or occasionally two voices) in an opera , oratorio , or cantata . In contrast with recitative singing, arias are melodious; in contrast with ordinary songs, arias are usually elaborate.

Notes

Some composers, such as Richard Wagner , have felt that arias interrupt the action of opera too much and hence have written operas without them.

Word History and Origins

Origin of aria¹

From Italian, dating back to 1735–45; air ¹

Origin of aria²

< Latin: feminine singular or neuter plural of -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of aria¹

C18: from Italian: tune, air

Example Sentences

It was as dark a piece of writing as has been in the show, and an amazing aria of despair.

From The Daily Beast

The basic premise of the fan fic is that Hanna, Spencer, and Aria are all pregnant.

From The Daily Beast

Anna Netrebko, Russian star of the Metropolitan Opera, wrapped up Friday's Lincoln Center events with a stirring aria.

From The Daily Beast

And I really wanted Aria to move on to another relationship.

From The Daily Beast

“I think you should look me up in a couple years,” he tells Aria in Unbelievable.

From The Daily Beast

In the orchestration of the aria from Undine, he says, the pianoforte plays an important and really beautiful part.

From Project Gutenberg

Without a curtain, or something of the sort, the Aria will be devoid of all meaning, and ruined!

From Project Gutenberg

Every composition used in instruction, be it simple exercise or elaborate aria, should be first of all melodious.

From Project Gutenberg

The laces made in the Greek islands probably owe their origin to Venice, showing the same “punti in aria.”

From Project Gutenberg

I never listened to anything more magnificently done than Lascelle's singing of the big baritone aria.

From Project Gutenberg