opera

¹ American  

[op-er-uh, op-ruh] / ˈɒp ər ə, ˈɒp rə /

noun

1. an extended dramatic composition, in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompaniment, that usually includes arias, choruses, and recitatives, and that sometimes includes ballet.

2. the form or branch of musical and dramatic art represented by such compositions.

3. the score or the words of such a composition.

4. a performance of one.

   to go to the opera.

5. (sometimes initial capital letter) an opera house or resident company.

   the Paris Opera.

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opera ² American  

[oh-per-uh, op-er-uh] / ˈoʊ pər ə, ˈɒp ər ə /

noun

Chiefly Music.

1. a plural of opus.

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opera ¹ British  

/ ˈɒprə, ˈɒpərə /

noun

1. an extended dramatic work in which music constitutes a dominating feature, either consisting of separate recitatives, arias, and choruses, or having a continuous musical structure

2. the branch of music or drama represented by such works

3. the score, libretto, etc, of an opera

4. a theatre where opera is performed

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opera ² British  

/ ˈɒpərə /

noun

1. a plural of opus

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opera Cultural  

1. A musical drama that is totally or mostly sung. Aïda , Carmen, and Don Giovanni are some celebrated operas. A light, comic opera is often called an operetta.

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Etymology

Origin of opera

1635–45; < Italian: work, opera < Latin, plural of opus service, work, a work, opus

Explanation

An opera is a theatrical piece that tells a story totally through the music. It consists of recitatives which provide the narrative plot line and elaborate chorus singing, along with duets and arias, which are the parts we most remember. We get the word opera from the Latin and, later, from the Italian, a noun formed from the word operari, "to work." The style evolved in Italy around 1600, and was initially unrealistic, mainly a chance for soloists to show off. In the mid-18th Century the focus shifted to both strong story and exquisite singing. Emotion is an important quality, a trait carried over to "soap operas" which have no singing but plenty of fake tears.

Example Sentences

By 1717 he was soliciting his opera subscribers to buy tickets, eventually hosting six masquerades a year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

There were the opera productions with Peter Sellars, who made him look deeply inside himself.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Pushkin’s text eventually became the libretto that Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov employed in his opera of the same name.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

She names Italian opera star Cecilia Bartoli, Whitney Houston, late French rocker Johnny Hallyday and Celine Dion as her sources of inspiration.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Today was our first music appreciation lesson, and we listened to a classical opera song, followed by some big-band jazz tunes from Duke Ellington.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Related Words

• act
• appearance
• behavior
• concert
• dance
• display
• drama
• play
• portrayal
• presentation
• production
• show