aria

noun

ˈär-ē-ə 

plural arias also arie ˈär-ē-ˌā 

1

: air, melody, tune

specifically : an accompanied, elaborate melody sung (as in an opera) by a single voice

enjoyed the soprano's romantic aria

2

: a striking solo performance (as in a movie)

… Russell Crowe's performance in Gladiator was all about the physical stuff—it was a brute-force aria of fighting and flexing and unleashing hell …

—Jeff Gordinier

3

: a written or spoken passage or text likened to a dramatic or emotional operatic solo

… a plainspoken but moving aria on the joys of rural living …

—Lauren Collins

Examples of aria in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the original production, Trump sings an aria while sitting on a golden toilet in his penthouse apartment. —Neda Ulaby, NPR, 10 May 2025

As Hay playfully commented, the Opry offered a stark contrast to other highbrow programs populating the airwaves, swapping symphonies and arias for jaunty renditions of old Anglo-Celtic, European and African-American ballads played on the fiddle, banjo and guitar. —Lindsay Kusiak, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 May 2025

Currently, the genre Eva is enjoying singing the most is classical music or opera arias. —Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025

More than once, Mariana emits an exasperated scream that goes on and on and on, almost like an operatic aria. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, atmospheric air, modification of Latin aer

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for aria

• acharya
• calcarea
• cercaria
• filaria
• fragaria
• setaria
• alternaria
• armillaria
• crotalaria
• urticaria
• radiolaria
• sharia

Kids Definition

aria

noun

ˈär-ē-ə 

: a song in an opera sung by a single voice

Geographical Definition

Aria

geographical name

ˈer-ē-ə 

ˈa-rē-ə,

ə-ˈrī-ə

1

an eastern province of the ancient Persian Empire; district now in northwestern Afghanistan and eastern Iran

2

see herat