soap opera — a television drama series featuring melodramatic situations and interpersonal relationships
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a television drama series featuring melodramatic situations and interpersonal relationships
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsoʊp ˌɑːpərə/
Example Sentences
- The soap opera has been running for 30 years with the same ridiculous plot twists.
- She treats every minor disagreement like a soap opera drama.
- The office politics resembled a soap opera with all the backstabbing and secret affairs.
soap opera
NOUN[/ˈsoʊp ˌɑːpərə/]
a television drama series featuring melodramatic situations and interpersonal relationships
Grandma sobs at the TV as the soap opera reveals a shocking twin reveal.
From soap opera to grand opera to Chopra!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term originated in the 1930s during the golden age of American radio drama. Soap manufacturers, particularly those producing household cleaning products, became the primary sponsors of these serialized daytime dramas, which targeted housewives as their core audience. The term 'soap opera' emerged from the frequent placement of soap commercials between program segments.
Breakdown
soap (referring to the soap companies that sponsored the programs) + opera (a dramatic serialized program). The compound term humorously juxtaposes the mundane commercial product with the grand theatrical genre to describe sponsor-driven melodramatic radio serials.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The soap opera has been running for 30 years with the same ridiculous plot twists.”
“She treats every minor disagreement like a soap opera drama.”
“The office politics resembled a soap opera with all the backstabbing and secret affairs.”
“My mom can predict every soap opera plot because they're all the same.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.