ossia

American  

[oh-see-uh] / oʊˈsi ə /

conjunction

1. (indicating an alternative, usually easier, version of a passage in a musical score) or; or else.

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Etymology

Origin of ossia

First recorded in 1875–80, ossia is from Italian o sia “or let it be”

Example Sentences

The company is performing dozens of different titles, including Meyerbeer’s “Les Huguenots”; a staging of two unfinished Mozart operas, “L’Oca del Cairo, ossia lo Sposo Deluso”; and plenty of war horses.

From New York Times • Oct. 26, 2018

All I remember about it now is that it was called La Nuova Lucrezia ossia La Gatteria del Spropositi, a monstrous travesty of the story of Lucrece.

From The Fool Errant Being the Memoirs of Francis-Anthony Strelley, Esq., Citizen of Lucca by Hewlett, Maurice Henry

Notwithstanding the Latin title, the work itself is wholly in Italian and both in the MSS. and in later printed editions is found also under the title Deifira ossia del mal principiato amore.

From Catalogue of the William Loring Andrews Collection of Early Books in the Library of Yale University by Van Name, Addison

The full title of the work is "Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni," and the subject was taken from a Spanish tale by Tirso de Molina, called "El combidado de piedra."

From The Standard Operas (12th edition) Their Plots, Their Music, and Their Composers by Upton, George P. (George Putnam)

Its original title was "Almaviva, ossia l'inutile precauzione," to distinguish it from Paisiello's "Barber of Seville."

From The Standard Operas (12th edition) Their Plots, Their Music, and Their Composers by Upton, George P. (George Putnam)