operetta

Definitions

opera (a musical work) + Italian -etta (little) = 'a little opera.' An operetta is a lighter, shorter, often comic cousin of grand opera, with spoken dialogue mixed into the songs.

Why It Means This

operetta shows the 'work as product' branch at play: opera is the plural of opus ('works'), and -etta is the Italian diminutive. So an operetta is literally a 'little work' — a miniature, breezier form of opera.

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The theater is staging a cheerful operetta this spring.

• 2.

  Operetta blends songs with spoken comic dialogue.