overture — an orchestral piece at the beginning of a musical work
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an orchestral piece at the beginning of a musical work
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈoʊvərtʃər/
Example Sentences
- The wedding overture was so long that the groom almost fell asleep before his bride appeared.
- His overtures to join the chess club were rejected because he kept calling it 'Chinese checkers.'
- The government made diplomatic overtures to establish better trade relations.
overture
NOUN[/ˈoʊvərtʃər/]
an orchestral piece at the beginning of a musical work
The conductor raised his baton as the orchestra's overture filled the grand hall.
Over-tour before the show — that's an overture, you know!
The overture turns furniture into adventure!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From French 'ouverture' meaning 'opening,' derived from Latin 'apertura' (opening), related to 'aperire' (to open). The term was adopted into English in the 17th century to describe an instrumental introduction to an opera or other musical work.
Breakdown
over- (Old French 'over-' from Latin 'aperire' meaning to open) + -ture (noun suffix, from Latin '-tura') = overture (an opening piece)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The wedding overture was so long that the groom almost fell asleep before his bride appeared.”
“His overtures to join the chess club were rejected because he kept calling it 'Chinese checkers.'”
“The government made diplomatic overtures to establish better trade relations.”
“Mozart's overture to 'The Magic Flute' is considered one of his masterpieces.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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