opera glasses

American  

[op-er-uh glas-iz, glah-siz, op-ruh] / ˈɒp ər ə ˌglæs ɪz, ˌglɑ sɪz, ˈɒp rə /

Often opera glass

plural noun

1. a small, low-power pair of binoculars for use at plays, concerts, and the like.

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opera glasses British  

plural noun

1. small low-powered binoculars used by audiences in theatres and opera houses

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Etymology

Origin of opera glasses

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

The acoustics are best up there, and I bought a pair of opera glasses just to see her.

From Los Angeles Times

People do like screens and close-ups, which make opera glasses obsolete.

From Los Angeles Times

You don’t need opera glasses to see that Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” takes on more than just country music.

From New York Times

Margarita Bunova had just got hold of opera glasses for the show when she heard what she thought were firecrackers, which then turned into rapid bursts that she and her husband identified as gunfire.

From BBC

In cities, people flocked to parks with binoculars — or opera glasses.

From Los Angeles Times