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aria

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noun \ ˈär-ē-ə \

Definition of aria

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

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Recent Examples of aria from the Web

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Origin and Etymology of aria

Italian, literally, atmospheric air, modification of Latin aer

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, refrain, riff, segue

Aria

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geographical name \ ˈer-ē-ə , ˈa-rē-ə , ə-ˈrī-ə \

Definition of Aria

1 an eastern province of the ancient Persian Empire; district now in northwestern Afghanistan and eastern Iran
2 — see herat

ARIA Defined for English Language Learners

aria

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noun

Definition of aria for English Language Learners

  • : a song in an opera sung by one person

Learn More about aria

  1. Spanish Central: Translation of aria Nglish: Translation of aria for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aria

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