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sinfonietta

[ sin-fuhn-yet-uh, -fohn- ]
/ ˌsɪn fənˈyɛt ə, -foʊn- /
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noun
a short symphony.
a small symphony orchestra, often composed solely of stringed instruments.
a symphony for fewer than the usual number of instruments.
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Origin of sinfonietta

1920–25; <Italian; diminutive of sinfoniasinfonia
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sinfonietta in a sentence

  • In portions of the "Sinfonietta," five rhythms are to be found warring against each other.

    Musical Portraits|Paul Rosenfeld

British Dictionary definitions for sinfonietta

sinfonietta
/ (ˌsɪnfənˈjɛtə, -fəʊn-) /

noun
a short or light symphony
(capital when part of name) a small symphony orchestra

Word Origin for sinfonietta

Italian: a little symphony, from sinfonia
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
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