opera¹ /opˈ(ə-)rə/

1. Musical drama
2. A company performing opera
3. An opera house

Used in or for an opera

—See also music drama, musical, musical comedy

operatic /-atˈik/ adjective

1. Relating to or resembling opera
2. (loosely) histrionic

operatˈically adverb

opera bouffe or (French) opéra bouffe /o-pā-raˈ boofˈ/ noun

Funny or farcical opera

opera buffa /boofˈə or opˈā-ra boofˈa/ noun (Italy)

Comic opera, esp of the 18c, opp to opera seria

opera cloak noun

An elegant cloak for evening wear, esp in the auditorium of a theatre

opéra comique /kom-ēkˈ/ noun (French)

Opera with some spoken dialogue, in the 18c having subjects less lofty than those of grand opera, in the 19c having no restriction as to subject (either comic or tragic)

opˈera-dancer noun

A dancer in ballets introduced into operas

opera glass or opera glasses noun

Small binoculars used by audiences in the theatre

opera hat noun

A collapsible top hat

opera house noun

A theatre for opera

opera seria /sēˈri-ə or seˈrya/ noun (Italy)

Serious opera

opera singer noun

comic opera

1. Opéra comique
2. Opera of an amusing nature
3. An absurd emotional situation

grand opera

Opera without dialogue, esp if the subject is very dramatic or emotional

light opera

1. A lively and tuneful opera
2. An operetta (qv)

soap opera see under soap

opus /ōˈpəs, opˈəs or opˈŭs/

1. A work, esp a musical composition, esp one numbered in order of publication, eg opus 6 (abbreviated op 6)
2. Used in naming various styles of Roman masonry

opus Dei /dāˈē/ noun

1. The work of God
2. Liturgical worship
3. In Benedictine monastic practice, the primary duty of prayer
4. (with caps) an international Roman Catholic organization of lay people and priests

opus latericium /la-tə-rishˈi-əm, -ikˈ or -te-rikˈi-ŭm/ noun

A form of Graeco-Roman brickwork

opus musivum /moo-sīˈvəm, mū- or moo-sēˈwŭm/ noun

Mosaic work

opus operantis /op-ə-ranˈtis/ noun

The effect of a sacrament ascribed (as by Protestants) to the spiritual disposition of the recipient

opus operatum /op-ə-rāˈtəm or op-e-räˈtŭm/ noun

Due celebration of a sacrament involving grace flowing from the sacramental act (the Roman Catholic view)

opus reticulatum /ri-tik-yə-lāˈtəm or re-tik-ŭ-läˈtŭm/ noun

Reticulated work

• roanpipe
• roans
• roar
• roared
• roarer
• roarers
• roarie
• roarier
• roariest
• roaring
• roaring boy
• roaring boys
• roaring drunk
• roaring forties
• roaringly
• roarings
• roars
• roary
• roast
• roast beef
• roast-beef plant
• roast-beef plants
• roasted
• roaster
• roasters