opus

noun

ˈō-pəs How to pronounce opus (audio)
plural opera ˈō-pə-rə How to pronounce opus (audio) ˈä- How to pronounce opus (audio) also opuses ˈō-pə-səz How to pronounce opus (audio)
Synonyms of opusnext
: work entry 2 sense 3b
… produced a vast opus on the history of civilization.—Norman Cousins
At present he is planning the Pumpkins' next release, a double-album opus that is bound to delight the fans who snatched up his band's last release …—Chris Mundy
especially : a musical composition or set of compositions usually numbered in the order of its issue
the composer's first opus
"… opus numbers are meant to indicate the chronological order of musical pieces, although sometimes they indicate the order of publication rather than the exact order of composition. Sometimes it's actually scholars who make chronological catalogs long after the composers have died. …" —Miles Hoffman

Did you know?

A literary opus is often a single novel, though the word may sometimes refer to all of a writer's works. But opus normally is used for musical works. Mendelssohn's Opus 90 is his Italian Symphony, for example, and Brahms's Op. 77 is his Violin Concerto. Since many composers' works were never given opus numbers in an orderly way, they now often have catalog numbers assigned by later scholars. So Haydn's Symphony No. 104 is Hob.104 (Hob. is short for Anthony van Hoboken, the cataloger), and Mozart's Marriage of Figaro is K.492 (K. stands for Ludwig Köchel).

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of opus in a Sentence

the composer's final opus was performed posthumously to great acclaim
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Teaming up with Aquilina, her longtime co-producer Tom Stafford and FIZZ co-producer Peter Miles, Gartland began to craft her sophomore opus. —Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2024 Megalopolis—film icon Francis Ford Coppola’s big-budget sci-fi opus—is already up for pre-order on digital streaming. —Tim Lammers, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 The preferential ballot system in place for best picture has not benefited these opuses’ chances of winning. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024 The discussion will center around Coppola’s influence and how his films transcend art form (acting, filmmaking, music and more), with Megalopolis being his opus. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for opus 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin oper-, opus (plural opera) "work, effort, product of labor, work of art," going back to Indo-European *h3ep-os-, *h3ep-es- "work" (whence also Sanskrit apas- "work, action"), derivative of *h3ep- "ability, force," whence Latin op-, *ops "power, ability, wealth, resource(s)," and, with varying suffixation, Sanskrit apnas- "possession, property, work," Hittite happina- "rich," happir-, happar- "business, trade," Germanic *afla- (whence Old English afol "power, might," Old Norse afl "strength"); and, with lengthened ablaut grade, Sanskrit āpas- "work, religious act," Avestan huuāpah- "performing good deeds," Germanic *ōbjan- "to perform" (whence Old Saxon oƀian "to celebrate," Old High German uoben, uoppen "to practice, exercise")

Note: Possibly also related are Old Norse efna "to perform, fulfill," Old English efnan "to accomplish, achieve" (from Germanic *abnjan-?), but this is uncertain.

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opus was in 1808

Phrases Containing opus

Dictionary Entries Near opus

opuntioid

opus

opus anglicanum

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opus. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

opus

noun
ˈō-pəs How to pronounce opus (audio)
plural opera
ˈō-pə-rə,
ˈäp-ə-
 also opuses ˈō-pə-səz How to pronounce opus (audio)
: work entry 1 sense 7
especially : a musical composition or set of compositions

More from Merriam-Webster on opus

Nglish: Translation of opus for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of opus for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about opus

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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