opera

1 of 2

plural of opus

opera

2 of 2

noun

op·​era ˈä-p(ə-)rə 

Southern also ˈä-prē

1

: a drama set to music and made up of vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment and orchestral overtures (see overture entry 1 sense 2) and interludes (see interlude sense 2)

specifically : grand opera

Beethoven composed only one opera.

2

: the score (see score entry 1 sense 6) of a musical drama

The composer finished the opera in just six weeks.

3

: the performance of an opera

The opera was delayed a half hour due to technical difficulties.

also : a house where operas are performed

We'll meet you at the opera at 7 p.m.

Examples of opera in a Sentence

Noun

I am going to an opera tonight.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After its triumphant Met première, in January of 1958, and a couple of brief revivals through 1965, the piece had decisively departed from the repertory, failing to entrench itself the way the finest operas of Benjamin Britten had done. —Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026

In both Wilde’s play and Strauss’s opera, Salome is obsessed with Jokanaan (John the Baptist), who is being held as a political prisoner in a cistern, his disembodied voice floating around the stage. —Literary Hub, 20 May 2026

Other musical-fragrance tie-ins have included one opera in Vienna, work with sister pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, and a scented concert with conductor and cellist Klaus Mäkelä. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 20 May 2026

Another woman took the stage and sang some opera, quite beautifully, as everyone ignored her. —Rachel Handler, Vulture, 18 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Italian, "work, labor, artistic production, drama set to music (originally short for opera musicale, opera in musica)," going back to Latin, "activity, effort, attention, work," collective derivative from oper-, opus "work, effort, product of labor" — more at opus

First Known Use

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing opera

• comic-opera
• grand opera
• horse opera
• light opera
• opera buffa
• opera glass
• opera hat
• opera house
• opera seria
• soap opera
• space opera
• the opera

Kids Definition

opera

1 of 2

plural of opus

opera

2 of 2 noun

op·​era ˈäp-(ə-)rə 

1

: a play in which usually the entire text is sung with orchestral accompaniment

2

: the performance of an opera

operatic

ˌäp-ə-ˈrat-ik

adjective