sinfonia
noun
sin·fo·nia
ˌsin-fə-ˈnē-ə 
plural sinfonie
ˌsin-fə-ˈnē-ˌā
1
: an orchestral prelude to a vocal work (such as an opera) especially in the 18th century : overture
Examples of sinfonia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If Kirill had any illusions about who stood higher in the new sinfonia between Church and state, they were quickly snuffed out.
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Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
An instrumental sinfonia by Giovanni Ferrandini, for example — diminutive in size but rich in brilliant string writing — was a perfect introduction to Ensemble Artaserse’s ability to dart and move, changing direction, articulation and tempo on a dime and in perfect unison.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2022
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
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
An instrumental sinfonia by Giovanni Ferrandini, for example — diminutive in size but rich in brilliant string writing — was a perfect introduction to Ensemble Artaserse’s ability to dart and move, changing direction, articulation and tempo on a dime and in perfect unison.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2022
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sinfonia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sinfonia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sinfonia. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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