overture

C2+ Topic:Music Theory

US /ˈoʊvɚtʃɚ/ UK /ˈəʊvətjʊə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
an orchestral introduction to a larger work, or an opening approach or proposal

They rejected every overture toward reconciliation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an orchestral introduction... prelude introduction proposal approach advance opening preamble

Opposites

finale conclusion coda

Word family

Related forms overt aperture open

Etymology

From Old French overture ('opening'), from Vulgar Latin opertura, alteration of Latin apertura ('an opening'), from aperire ('to open'). The musical and figurative 'opening approach' senses both derive from 'an opening.'

overture Old French apertūra Latin aperīre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Music Theory General Vocabulary

External links

# overture

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

## Meanings
1. an orchestral introduction to a larger work, or an opening approach or proposal

## Examples
- They rejected every overture toward reconciliation.

## Synonyms
- prelude
- introduction
- proposal
- approach
- advance
- opening
- preamble

## Antonyms
- finale
- conclusion
- coda

## Related Forms
- overt
- aperture
- open

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: overture
- Root: apertūra
- Root: aperīre

## Etymology
From Old French overture ('opening'), from Vulgar Latin opertura, alteration of Latin apertura ('an opening'), from aperire ('to open'). The musical and figurative 'opening approach' senses both derive from 'an opening.'

## AI Etymology
Overture comes from Old French overture ('opening'), from Vulgar Latin opertura, alteration of Latin apertura ('an opening'), from aperire ('to open'). The musical and figurative 'opening approach' senses both derive from 'an opening.'. The etymological trail includes Old French overture, Latin apertūra, and Latin aperīre. As a noun, overture means an orchestral introduction to a larger work, or an opening approach or proposal. The same family is visible in related forms such as overt, aperture, and open.

## Topics
- Music Theory
- General Vocabulary

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