cabaletta

American  

[kab-uh-let-uh, kah-buh-, kah-bah-let-tah] / ˌkæb əˈlɛt ə, ˌkɑ bə-, ˌkɑ bɑˈlɛt tɑ /

noun

• cabalettas,
  plural
• cabalette
  plural

1. a short, operatic aria of simple form and style.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cabalettas
  plural
• cabalette
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cabaletta

1835–45; < Italian, alteration of coboletta stanza, diminutive of cob ( b ) ola, cobla stanza, couplet < Old Provençal cobla < Latin cōpula bond; see copula

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cabaletta cabalettas

As she scrabbled for a laser pointer in her large handbag, her coloratura was comically on point, though she was inaudible in her middle range during the cabaletta.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2025

An associate director an ocean away didn’t realize he also planned to perform the cabaletta, the faster-moving second part.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 26, 2020

And Mr. Hymel dispatched with exciting fervor the brilliant cabaletta in Act IV when Arnold vows to avenge his father, killed by the Austrians, and rally the Swiss resistance, nailing all the high C’s.

From New York Times ● Oct. 19, 2016

Every cabaletta or other quick number is abridged, usually drastically, which upsets the balance between fast and slow tempos.

From New York Times ● Apr. 12, 2011

In this cabaletta we noticed a tendency to show off vocal gifts which may be just a little out of place.

From The Mapleson Memoirs, vol II 1848-1888 by James H. Mapleson

But musically, they did Aucoin's interesting thing, including spectacularly maneuvering through those breathtakingly speedy cabalettas.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2018

The orchestral playing under Carlo Montanaro's baton was especially impressive: The strings were sumptuous in tone, and the young composer's brash cabalettas sprang into action with an élan calculated to set the listener's pulse racing.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2012