opus
Americannoun
plural
opuses, opera-
a musical composition.
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one of the compositions of a composer, usually numbered according to the order of publication.
-
a literary work or composition, as a book: op.
Have you read her latest opus?
noun
-
an artistic composition, esp a musical work
-
(often capital) (usually followed by a number) a musical composition by a particular composer, generally catalogued in order of publication
Beethoven's opus 61 is his violin concerto
Etymology
Origin of opus
1695–1705; < Latin: work, labor, a work
Explanation
An opus is a created work, usually musical in nature. The composer's greatest opus was inspired by the blooming of the spring flowers. While an opus is a piece of work, usually musical, the best way to remember it is to know that the preferred plural of opus is opera which everyone associates with music. You can also say opuses for the plural if you want, but how is that going to help you remember anything? A common usage of opus is with the term magnum opus which refers to one’s greatest work, musical or otherwise.
Vocabulary lists containing opus
100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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Music - Middle School
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Music - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The orange blossom had already become the state flower in 1909, and, by 1967, a year after McPhee’s opus, the orange was the state fruit.
From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026
In 1962, Macdonald published his magnum opus of cultural criticism, “Against the American Grain: Essays on the Effects of Mass Culture,” containing the most famous of his essays, “Masscult & Midcult.”
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
That’s the backdrop for Wall Street giant Citi’s 165-page opus on the global commodities outlook, written by strategists led by Maximilian Layton.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
“Top Gun: Maverick,” perhaps the ultimate military movie in terms of tone, character and Tough Life Lessons, was the highest-grossing film in the Tom Cruise opus, and it’s OK that you’ve rewatched it three times.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
His system, as expounded in his thirteen-volume opus The Almagest, had much influence both in Europe and in the Islamic world, and was later adopted as dogma by the Catholic Church.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
