sinfonia

noun

sin·​fo·​nia ˌsin-fə-ˈnē-ə How to pronounce sinfonia (audio)
plural sinfonie ˌsin-fə-ˈnē-ˌā How to pronounce sinfonia (audio)
1
: an orchestral prelude to a vocal work (such as an opera) especially in the 18th century : overture
2

Examples of sinfonia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Brioschi’s sinfonia, Spagnolo explained, was the overture to a Hebrew cantata, the kind of production that regularly involved the collaboration of Jews and non-Jews. Collin Ziegler, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Jan. 2026 Not Wagner but Mozart will accompany the Bruckner at Carnegie Hall, in the form of six piano concertos and two sinfonias concertante. David Allen, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin symphonia symphony

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sinfonia was in 1773

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Cite this Entry

“Sinfonia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sinfonia. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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