orchestra
pronunciation
How to pronounce orchestra in British English:
UK [ˈɔːkɪstrə]
How to pronounce orchestra in American English:
US [ˈɔːrkɪstrə]
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- Noun:
- a musical organization consisting of a group of instrumentalists including string players
- seating on the main floor in a theater
Word Origin
- orchestra
- orchestra: [17] In ancient Greece, the term orkhéstrā denoted a ‘semicircular space at the front of a theatre stage, in which the chorus danced’ (it was a derivative of the verb orkheisthai ‘dance’). English originally took it over (via Latin orchēstra) in this historical sense, but in the early 18th century orchestra began to be used for the ‘part of a theatre where the musicians played’, and hence by extension for the ‘group of musicians’ itself. The derivative orchestrate [19] was adapted from French orchestrer.
- orchestra (n.)
- c. 1600, "area in an ancient theater for the chorus," from Latin orchestra, from Greek orkhestra, semicircular space where the chorus of dancers performed, with suffix -tra denoting place + orkheisthai "to dance," intensive of erkhesthai "to go, come," from PIE root *ergh- "to mount" (cognates: Sanskrit rghayati "trembles, rages, raves," rnoti "rises, moves," arnah "welling stream;" Old Persian rasatiy "he comes;" Greek ornynai "to rouse, start;" Latin oriri "to rise," origo "a beginning;" Gothic rinnan, Old English irnan "to flow, run"). In ancient Rome, it referred to the place in the theater reserved for senators and other dignitaries. Meaning "group of musicians performing at a concert, opera, etc." first recorded 1720; "part of theater in front of the stage" is from 1768.
Example
- 1. His father leopold was a musician and orchestra conductor .
- 2. If he 's the classical type check your city 's orchestra schedule .
- 3. What started as a fun thing for vegetable orchestra soon shaped into serious business .
- 4. The pounding of a hammer next door started up like a welcoming orchestra the moment we arrived .
- 5. In his room are photographs of his life before he became an amnesiac -- clive conducting an orchestra , his wedding .