libretto

noun

li·​bret·​to lə-ˈbre-(ˌ)tō 

plural librettos or libretti lə-ˈbre-(ˌ)tē 

1

: the text of a work (such as an opera) for the musical theater

2

: the book containing a libretto

Examples of libretto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1967 the novel was given a second life as an opera—by Alberto Ginastera, with the libretto written in verse by Mujica Lainez himself—which opened to critical acclaim in the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC. —Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025

Groff, the three-time National Book Award finalist and best-selling author, wrote the libretto with Doraiswamy and served as a kind of amanuensis to the production. —Laura Van Straaten, New York Times, 11 July 2025

If, like for me, Lewis Carroll’s 1865 fairy tale about a girl who stumbles into Wonderland is a core memory, all those beloved characters are there, with a splendidly cogent (and at times delightfully grotesque) libretto. —Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025

It’s traveled the world over, and Ruhl worked on the libretto of the Met’s 2021 operatic adaptation. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 3 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, diminutive of libro book, from Latin libr-, liber

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for libretto

• hereto
• magneto
• palmetto
• stiletto
• whereto
• allegretto
• lazaretto
• ghetto
• seto

Kids Definition

libretto

noun

li·​bret·​to lə-ˈbret-ō 

plural librettos or libretti -ē 

: the text of an opera or musical