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symphony orchestra
noun
: a large orchestra of winds, strings, and percussion that plays symphonic works
Examples of symphony orchestra in a Sentence
She's a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
plays oboe in the local symphony orchestra
Recent Examples on the Web
But that doesn’t prevent this 1999 CSU East Bay music graduate and symphony orchestra veteran from using her instrument to play lead guitar lines with her Bay Area band, Dirty Cello.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2024
Sometimes with Michael Giacchino scores, they'll be performed again by symphony orchestras.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 14 July 2023
Bernstein, a Massachusetts native born in 1918, was the first U.S.-born conductor to lead a major American symphony orchestra.
—Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023
The test is whether collisions can be averted, and whether those that occur can be managed more successfully than the months-long spat over the spy balloon — not whether the two countries agree to share symphony orchestras or pandas.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023
The event brings the beloved 2003 Christmas flick to the silver screen alongside a live performance of John Debney’s score by a full symphony orchestra led by the film composer himself.
—Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Nevertheless, its symphony orchestra and a tri-partite performing arts center (lingering criticisms of too conservative a repertoire aside) give Buffalo an outsize heft in the arts.
—Peter Plagens, WSJ, 9 Dec. 2023
And understandably so, since heckling at jazz concerts is as unprecedented as stage-diving at symphony orchestra performances or mosh-pits at book signings.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Oct. 2023
Opus 3 Artists’ roster includes instrumentalists, vocalists, conductors, composers, chamber music ensembles, and touring chamber and symphony orchestras.
—Marc Schneider, Billboard, 1 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'symphony orchestra.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1881, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of symphony orchestra was
circa 1881
Dictionary Entries Near symphony orchestra
Cite this Entry
“Symphony orchestra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symphony%20orchestra. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
symphony orchestra
noun
: a large orchestra of wind, string, and percussion instruments that plays symphonic works
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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