soprano

1 of 2

adjective

so·​pra·​no sə-ˈpra-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce soprano (audio) -ˈprä- How to pronounce soprano (audio)
: relating to or having the range or part of a soprano

soprano

2 of 2

noun

plural sopranos
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Some artists have national and international cachet, like soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams, who sings the title role. Matt Bloom, NPR, 3 Feb. 2025 The beat, driving and clanging, chases after Twigs, who has lowered her soprano some, making her voice round. Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2025 Created by English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who based his beloved musical on Gaston Leroux’s novel of the same name, Phantom is the story of a gifted soprano, Christine Daaé. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2025 Editors’ Picks The outstanding cast also included the blooming lyricism of the tenor Paul Appleby, the luxuriously cool soprano of Mikaela Bennett and the iridescent countertenor of Chuanyuan Liu as a monk and medium. Corinna Da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for soprano 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

1730, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of soprano was in 1730

Dictionary Entries Near soprano

Cite this Entry

“Soprano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soprano. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

soprano

1 of 2 adjective
so·​pra·​no sə-ˈpran-ō How to pronounce soprano (audio) -ˈprän- How to pronounce soprano (audio)
1
: relating to the soprano voice or part
2
: having a high range
soprano sax

soprano

2 of 2 noun
plural sopranos
1
: the highest voice part in harmony for four parts with men's and women's voices compare alto sense 1b, bass entry 2 sense 1a, tenor sense 2a
2
: the highest singing voice of women or boys
also : a person with this voice
Etymology

Adjective

from Italian soprano "relating to a soprano or soprano part," from sopra "above," from Latin supra "above"

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