orchestra
AW-kihs-truh
Orchestra (noun) means a large group of musicians who play together, typically combining strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion. Example: “The conductor raised her baton and the orchestra began to play.”
noun
1
A large group of musicians who play together, typically combining strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion.
"The conductor raised her baton and the orchestra began to play."
"The orchestra tuned their instruments as the audience took their seats."
"She plays second violin in the city orchestra."
2
The section of a theatre or concert hall, just in front of the stage, where the musicians sit.
"Our tickets were in the orchestra, just below the edge of the stage."
"From the orchestra, the audience could hear every note of the piano."
"We had seats in the orchestra, close enough to see the conductor's face."
How to use orchestra
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA group of musicians playing together, or the area where they sit.
Common pairings
symphony orchestra
conduct an orchestra
orchestra pit
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Word forms
- Plural
- orchestras, orchestrae
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The conductor raised her baton and the _____ began to play.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek orkhḗstra, the semicircular space in front of a Greek theatre stage where the chorus danced — from orkhéomai, "to dance."
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “orchestra” mean?
The word “orchestra” means a large group of musicians who play together, typically combining strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion. In plain terms, a group of musicians playing together, or the area where they sit.
How do you pronounce “orchestra”?
“Orchestra” is pronounced AW-kihs-truh (/ˈoɹ.kɪs.tɹə/ in IPA).
How do you use “orchestra” in a sentence?
Here is “orchestra” used in a sentence: “The orchestra tuned their instruments as the audience took their seats.”
What part of speech is “orchestra”?
“Orchestra” is a noun.
Where does the word “orchestra” come from?
The word “orchestra” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek orkhḗstra, the semicircular space in front of a Greek theatre stage where the chorus danced — from orkhéomai, "to dance.".
Is “orchestra” a common word?
“Orchestra” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “orchestra” have?
“Orchestra” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large group of musicians who play together, typically combining strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion.
What is the difference between an orchestra and a band?
A traditional orchestra is a large ensemble combining strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion, with the string section at its core. Bands — concert bands, brass bands, or pop and rock groups — are usually built around wind or amplified instruments and lack an orchestral string section. Orchestras also typically perform under a conductor, which most small bands do not.
What is the difference between an orchestra and a symphony?
An orchestra is a group of musicians; a symphony is a large-scale musical work, usually in several movements. Symphony orchestra means an orchestra big enough to perform symphonies, and in American English "the symphony" is common shorthand for the local symphony orchestra.
What are orchestra seats in a theatre?
The orchestra is the area of a theatre or concert hall just in front of the stage where the musicians sit, often lowered into an orchestra pit. By extension, American theatres call the ground-floor audience seating nearest the stage orchestra seats — the section British English calls the stalls.
How many musicians are in an orchestra?
There is no fixed number: the word denotes any large group of musicians combining strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion. A full symphony orchestra typically fields roughly 70 to 100 players, while a chamber orchestra is smaller, often under 50.
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