soprano

1 of 2

adjective

so·​pra·​no sə-ˈpra-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce soprano (audio) -ˈprä- How to pronounce soprano (audio)
: relating to or having the range or part of a soprano

soprano

2 of 2

noun

plural sopranos
1
: the highest singing voice of women or boys and formerly of castrati
also : a person having this voice
2
: the highest voice part in a 4-part chorus
3
: a member of a family of instruments having the highest range

Examples of soprano in a Sentence

Noun She sings in a high soprano.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There were moments on Monday that wanted a soprano more fiery than ivory. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, and Four Last Songs, featuring radiant soprano Maria Valdes as soloist. The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024 If anything, the soprano sounded more at home in the Handel, at ease with its ornamentation and more attuned to its drama. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 The ensemble’s final incarnation features two original members, alto Janis Siegel and tenor Alan Paul, as well as soprano Cheryl Bentyne, who replaced founder Laurel Massé in 1979 as the band reached its widest audience in the 1980s. Andrew Gilbert, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2023 By her teens, her celestial soprano was taking flight in the choir at the William Penn High School for Girls. Alex Williams, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 To Kepler, the solar system had two basses, Jupiter and Saturn; a tenor, Mars; two altos, Venus and Earth; and a soprano, Mercury. Chris Impey, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 For all of her high-note renown, her voice never ranked her with her contemporaries, the great operatic sopranos known by single names — Nilsson (Christina), Patti (Adelina), and Melba (Nellie, who had a dessert named after her). Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Though Mumford was the man of the hour and a half, Wednesday was also a big night for Burton, whose stylishly sculpted soprano delivered several of the night’s biggest moments. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soprano.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Italian, adjective & noun, from sopra above, from Latin supra — more at supra-

First Known Use

Adjective

1730, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of soprano was in 1730

Dictionary Entries Near soprano

Cite this Entry

“Soprano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soprano. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

soprano

1 of 2 adjective
so·​pra·​no sə-ˈpran-ō How to pronounce soprano (audio) -ˈprän- How to pronounce soprano (audio)
1
: relating to the soprano voice or part
2
: having a high range
soprano sax

soprano

2 of 2 noun
plural sopranos
1
: the highest voice part in harmony for four parts with men's and women's voices compare alto sense 1b, bass entry 2 sense 1a, tenor sense 2a
2
: the highest singing voice of women or boys
also : a person with this voice
Etymology

Adjective

from Italian soprano "relating to a soprano or soprano part," from sopra "above," from Latin supra "above"

More from Merriam-Webster on soprano

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!