opera

B2 Topic:Theater & Performance

US /ˈɑp.ə.ɹə/ UK /ˈɒp.ə.ɹə/ See IPA manual

Freq #3757

Meanings

1

noun
A dramatic play set to music in which the words are sung rather than spoken.

They went to see an opera at the city theatre.
2

noun
The art form of composing and performing such works.

She has loved opera since she was a child.
3

noun
A building where operas are performed.

We had dinner near the opera before the show.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · a building where operas are... opera house

Word family

Forms operasoperaticop’ra

Derived forms antioperanonoperaopera-goeroperaficationoperafyoperagoeroperagoingoperalikeoperameteroperaphileoperaphobeoperetta

Related forms aria balletmasquemelodrama operable operand operant operateoperaticoperation operationaloperatist

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

opera cloak
a large cloak worn over formal evening clothes

Noun + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings

Simplified etymology

Opera came into English in the 17th century from Italian, where the word meant “labour” or “work.”

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian opera. Doublet of oeuvre, opus, and ure.

*h₃ep- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Theater & Performance General Vocabulary

External links

# opera

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɑp.ə.ɹə/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɒp.ə.ɹə/
**Frequency rank:** 3757

## Meanings
1. A dramatic play set to music in which the words are sung rather than spoken.
2. The art form of composing and performing such works.
3. A building where operas are performed.

## Examples
- They went to see an opera at the city theatre.
- She has loved opera since she was a child.
- We had dinner near the opera before the show.

## Derived Forms
- antiopera
- nonopera
- opera-goer
- operafication
- operafy
- operagoer
- operagoing
- operalike
- operameter
- operaphile
- operaphobe
- operetta

## Related Forms
- aria
- ballet
- masque
- melodrama
- operable
- operand
- operant
- operate
- operatic
- operation
- operational
- operatist

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₃ep-

## Etymology
Borrowed from Italian opera. Doublet of oeuvre, opus, and ure.

## AI Etymology
Opera was borrowed from Italian opera. Doublet of oeuvre, opus, and ure. Modern senses include a dramatic play set to music in which the words are sung rather than spoken and the art form of composing and performing such works. The wider word family includes derivatives such as antiopera, nonopera, opera-goer, operafication, operafy, and operagoer and related forms such as aria, ballet, masque, and melodrama.

## Topics
- Theater & Performance
- General Vocabulary

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