coloratura
noun
col·or·a·tu·ra
ˌkə-lə-rə-ˈtu̇r-ə 
-ˈtyu̇r-
often attributive
1
: elaborate embellishment in vocal music
broadly
: music with ornate figuration
2
: a soprano with a light agile voice specializing in coloratura
Examples of coloratura in a Sentence
a performance without much coloratura
Recent Examples on the Web
Pat drove her daughter to voice lessons, informing her that her great-grandaunt was the nineteenth-century coloratura Adelina Patti.
—
Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
She is gifted with a lovely color of a lyric soprano suitable for roles in the spectrum from a lyric, lyric coloratura to a soubrette.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Born in Portland, Maine, to Lucille Potter Lavin, who was once a coloratura soprano opera singer onstage and on the radio, Lavin first took the stage at the age of 5.
—Carmel Dagan, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
A great deal of the plot was devoted to the Phantom’s attempts to replace Carlotta, a fussy coloratura soprano with a thick Italian accent, with his beloved Christine.
—Vulture, 28 Mar. 2023
But her voice — and her rapid-fire coloratura — are remarkably well preserved, and her enthusiasm is irresistible.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022
Her mother, Lucille, was a coloratura soprano and radio personality who sang with Paul Whiteman’s band, and her father, David, owned a furniture business.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
She is gifted with a lovely color of a lyric soprano suitable for roles in the spectrum from a lyric, lyric coloratura to a soubrette.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Born in Portland, Maine, to Lucille Potter Lavin, who was once a coloratura soprano opera singer onstage and on the radio, Lavin first took the stage at the age of 5.
—Carmel Dagan, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
A great deal of the plot was devoted to the Phantom’s attempts to replace Carlotta, a fussy coloratura soprano with a thick Italian accent, with his beloved Christine.
—Vulture, 28 Mar. 2023
But her voice — and her rapid-fire coloratura — are remarkably well preserved, and her enthusiasm is irresistible.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2022
Her mother, Lucille, was a coloratura soprano and radio personality who sang with Paul Whiteman’s band, and her father, David, owned a furniture business.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Coloratura.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coloratura. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share