operetta

[ op-uh-ret-uh ]

noun
  1. a short opera, usually of a light and amusing character.

Origin of operetta

1
1760–70; <Italian, diminutive of operaopera1

Other words from operetta

  • op·er·et·tist, noun

Words Nearby operetta

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How to use operetta in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for operetta

operetta

/ (ˌɒpəˈrɛtə) /


noun
  1. a type of comic or light-hearted opera

Origin of operetta

1
C18: from Italian: a small opera 1

Derived forms of operetta

  • operettist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for operetta

operetta

Comic or lighthearted operas of the kind written by Gilbert and Sullivan. Operettas generally have a substantial amount of spoken (not sung) dialogue.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.