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• aria
  aria

  noun

  an air or melody.
• Aria
  Aria

  noun

  a nymph, the mother of Miletus, by Apollo.
• -aria
  -aria

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

aria

¹ American  

[ahr-ee-uh, air-ee-uh] / ˈɑr i ə, ˈɛər i ə /

noun

• arias
  plural

1. an air or melody.

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

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Aria ² American  

[ahr-ee-uh, uh-rahy-uh] / ˈɑr i ə, əˈraɪ ə /

noun

Classical Mythology.

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

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-aria ³ American  

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

   filaria.

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aria British  

/ ˈɑːrɪə /

noun

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

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aria Cultural  

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.

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Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• arias
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of aria¹

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

Origin of -aria³

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

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Explanation

An aria is an elaborate song written specifically for a solo voice. If you find yourself belting out "Che gelida manina" from La Boheme in the shower, you’ve just been performing an aria. The word aria comes from the Italian and means "air." The word is often used to describe songs from operas. Two famous ones include “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” — "Love is a rebellious bird" — and “O mio babbino caro” — "Oh my dear Papa!" It is sometimes used almost metaphorically to describe someone’s impressive solo performance of any type. Arias within opera, and classical music in general, are almost always accompanied by instrumental music, but there is only one voice.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aria Aria arias

As Marzio sang his only aria, summoning Farnace to war, he changed his outfit, making Farnace hand him armor pieces like a servant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

The prevailing aural color works best in the gentler sections, such as Niamara’s appealing aria, “Love, love, come to me.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

In Costanzo’s closing aria, “Gandhi’s Prayer,” he leaves behind, Christ-like, hatred and exultation for unsullied love.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

The song Sweet Transvestite has been described as the first big, glam-rock aria of the musical, and is the audience's introduction to Dr Frank-N-Furter.

From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2026

She sang an aria from Verdi’s opera Don Carlo along with four spirituals.

From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman

In the meantime, Aria Krylova, who’s worked at Anima Mundi for several years, put out the store’s top cooling agents for me to try.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Iran midfielder Aria Yousefi flies into the air after going for the ball against New Zealand midfielder Joe Bell.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

A 16-year-old boy - who cannot be named for legal reasons - is currently on trial at Bristol Crown Court accused of the murder and manslaughter of Aria, both of which he denies.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

I probably could have walked or taken a tram to Aria faster than the 21-minute, 2.78-mile ride in the Zoox.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

“Can I take a picture?” the hazmat named Aria says.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

This often happened during arias, creating a regrettable focus disturbance for the audience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

He bestows on his characters arias, and Daniel’s cast delivers them as though the words were expressly made for these particular actors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

With its surging choruses and humorous arias and recitatives, to say nothing of its jazzy harmonies and dance rhythms, it possesses an irresistible satiric edge while still evoking American certitude amid Cold War challenges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

The music seesaws brilliantly between Blanche’s dreaming arias, when time seems to stop, and her impoverished reality.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

Indeed, against the backdrop of scientific endeavour and machine-like precision there was a very human emotion that enriched every note of Handel’s solo arias in opera and oratorio: compassion.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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