opus

C2+ Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈoʊpəs/ UK /ˈəʊpəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
an artistic work, especially a musical composition numbered in a composer's output

The symphony was the composer's final and greatest opus.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an artistic work,... work composition piece creationoeuvremasterpiece

Word family

Forms opuses

Derived forms opuscule

Related forms operate opera operationmagnum opus

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

magnum opus
the major work for which a writer, artist, or other creator is especially celebrated

Fixed expression

Simplified etymology

Opus was borrowed into English in the early 19th century from Latin opus, “work.” The same Latin word also contributed to the ancestry of office and operation.

Etymology

Directly from Latin 'opus' ('work, labor, a work produced'), used especially of a composer's numbered compositions.

opus Latin *op- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# opus

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈoʊpəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈəʊpəs/

## Meanings
1. an artistic work, especially a musical composition numbered in a composer's output

## Examples
- The symphony was the composer's final and greatest opus.

## Synonyms
- work
- composition
- piece
- creation
- oeuvre
- masterpiece

## Derived Forms
- opuscule

## Related Forms
- operate
- opera
- operation
- magnum opus

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: opus
- Root: *op-

## Etymology
Directly from Latin 'opus' ('work, labor, a work produced'), used especially of a composer's numbered compositions.

## AI Etymology
Opus has the etymology: Directly from Latin 'opus' ('work, labor, a work produced'), used especially of a composer's numbered compositions. The etymological trail includes Latin opus and Proto-Indo-European *op-. As a noun, opus means an artistic work, especially a musical composition numbered in a composer's output. The same family is visible in derived forms such as opuscule and related forms such as operate, opera, operation, and magnum opus.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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