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soprano

adjective
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so·​pra·​no | \ sə-ˈpra-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce soprano (audio) , -ˈprä- How to pronounce soprano (audio) \

Definition of soprano

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: relating to or having the range or part of a soprano

soprano

noun
plural sopranos

Definition of soprano (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the highest singing voice of women or boys and formerly of castrati also : a person having this voice
2 : the highest voice part in a 4-part chorus
3 : a member of a family of instruments having the highest range

Examples of soprano in a Sentence

Noun She sings in a high soprano.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The influence is clearest in her 1915 novel, The Song of the Lark, whose heroine Thea Kronborg is based on the soprano Olive Fremstad, Cather’s friend. — Adam Kirsch, The New Republic, "The Problem With Redemption for Wagner," 11 Sep. 2020 The peerless American dramatic soprano Christine Goerke will star in the key role of Brünnhilde. — Mark Stryker, Freep.com, "Michigan Opera Theatre lands ‘genius’ Yuval Sharon as artistic director," 9 Sep. 2020 On Saturday, soprano singer Johanna Vargas and organist Julian Lembke changed the chord. — Kirsten Grieshaber And Markus Schreiber, USA TODAY, "A new kind of slow song: Chord change of 639-year organ piece was first in nearly 7 years," 9 Sep. 2020 On Saturday, soprano singer Johanna Vargas and organist Julian Lembke changed the chord. — Star Tribune, "Slow music: Chord change in Germany of 639-year organ piece," 5 Sep. 2020 The Florentine will also present an online only series of six more intimate concerts, including performances by soprano Vivica Genaux and tenor Eric Ferring. — Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee performers plan mix of online and in-person shows for 2020-'21 seasons," 3 Sep. 2020 Popular recordings, including one by the classical soprano Alma Gluck, freely used the slur in Foster’s lyrics. — Alex Lubet And Steven Lubet, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Complicated Legacy of ‘My Old Kentucky Home’," 3 Sep. 2020 Forthcoming workshops will host soprano Vanessa Aldrich (Aug. 19) and Ramya Durvasula and Ritika Reddy of the Kalanidhi Dance Company (Aug. 26). — Washington Post, "Zoom-based opera for preschoolers might sound like your worst nightmare. But it’s actually the best Zoom there is.," 19 Aug. 2020 Initial results released in July were based on aerosol pathways from a soprano singer and performers playing four different instruments. — The Salt Lake Tribune, "Here’s what performing arts classes will look like in Utah high schools during the COVID-19 pandemic," 15 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soprano.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of soprano

Adjective

1730, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for soprano

Adjective

Italian, adjective & noun, from sopra above, from Latin supra — more at supra-

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Time Traveler for soprano

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The first known use of soprano was in 1730

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Cite this Entry

“Soprano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soprano. Accessed 29 Sep. 2020.

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More Definitions for soprano

soprano

adjective
How to pronounce soprano (audio) How to pronounce soprano (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of soprano

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: relating to the highest female singing voice or the highest voice part in a singing group
: having a high sound range

soprano

noun

English Language Learners Definition of soprano (Entry 2 of 2)

: the highest voice part in a singing group
: the highest female singing voice or a person with this voice

See the full definition for soprano in the English Language Learners Dictionary

soprano

noun
so·​pra·​no | \ sə-ˈpra-nō How to pronounce soprano (audio) , -ˈprä- \
plural sopranos

Kids Definition of soprano

1 : the highest part in harmony that has four parts
2 : the highest singing voice of women or boys
3 : a singer or an instrument having a soprano range or part

More from Merriam-Webster on soprano

Nglish: Translation of soprano for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about soprano

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