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

PlumpJack is Sir John Falstaff, Shakespeare’s irreverent, larger-than-life character, and the inspiration for Gordon Getty’s opera. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026

Yovanovitch takes on everything from opera set design to hotel projects (including The Connaught’s three-Michelin star restaurant Hélène Darroze in London), and more, making for an eclectic and enticing mix. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

On a longtime quest to democratize opera, Koelsch invited Martínez Celaya to the Chandler for a walk-through. — Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

In the early 1990s, Gordon Getty seeded Newsom’s Napa Valley wine start-up, PlumpJack, which Newsom launched with Gordon’s son Billy and named after an opera Gordon had composed. — Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 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