opéra bouffe

American  

[op-er-uh boof, op-ruh, aw-pey-ra boof] / ˈɒp ər ə ˈbuf, ˈɒp rə, ɔ peɪ ra ˈbuf /

noun

plural

opéra bouffes, opéras bouffe,

plural

opéras bouffes

1. a comic opera, especially of farcical character.

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opéra bouffe British  

/ ɔpera buf, ˈɒpərə ˈbuːf /

noun

1. a type of light or satirical opera common in France during the 19th century

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Etymology

Origin of opéra bouffe

Borrowed into English from French around 1865–70

Example Sentences

But 2½ hours of teenage insecurities turned into pop opéra bouffe make for a patience-trying endurance test for all but the most tolerant observers.

From Washington Post • Mar. 10, 2019

Then back to one’s seat for diversion in the opportunely unreal world of late 18th-century Viennese opéra bouffe.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2017

That opéra bouffe in six seasons would probably have burned itself into the country’s psyche even without Mr. Gandolfini.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2013

Turner, who exhibited an opéra bouffe appearance but was a slashing and dangerous player, had beaten Bobby in the previous year’s Rosenwald.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

She sang as she did it—a gay, shrill air from some opéra bouffe.

From Stories by American Authors, Volume 3 by Various