librettist

noun

li·​bret·​tist lə-ˈbre-tist How to pronounce librettist (audio)
: the writer of a libretto

Examples of librettist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Off Broadway Jerome Weidman and the composer Harold Rome’s garment-district musical, from 1962—thoughtfully reshaped by Weidman’s librettist son, John, and directed by Trip Cullman—feels like being walloped by a roll of velvet. Condé Nast, The New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2023 Its composer, Dmitri Shostakovich, lost much of his work, and its librettist, Adrian Piotrovsky, was shot. Alice Robb, The New Republic, 16 Oct. 2023 Staging operas in times and places very different from those imagined by their composers and librettists can be revelatory — or needlessly confusing, if not downright destructive. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2023 Watch Night Choreographer Bill T. Jones works with librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph and composer Tamar-kali to create a multimedia dramatization of the all-too-common convergence of hatred, violence, and collective rage. Vulture, 25 Aug. 2023 Kimberly Akimbo, a new musical from composer Jeanine Tesori and lyricist and librettist David Lindsay-Abaire, was the top winner at the 2023 Tony Awards, which aired live on CBS on Sunday (June 11) from the historic United Palace in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Paul Grein, Billboard, 12 June 2023 And his mind meld with his book writers and librettists is just extraordinary. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2023 Based on a true story of a refugee who lived for years in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, librettist April de Angelis introduces a mix of people in a departure lounge. Dallas News, 5 Mar. 2022 This free family opera by composer/librettist Marc Hoffeditz explores themes of weather science, climate change, and care for the Earth. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 7 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'librettist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of librettist was in 1862

Dictionary Entries Near librettist

Cite this Entry

“Librettist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/librettist. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

librettist

noun
li·​bret·​tist lə-ˈbret-əst How to pronounce librettist (audio)
: the writer of a libretto

More from Merriam-Webster on librettist

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