aria
noun
an air or melody.
aria
1 American
[ahr-ee-uh, air-ee-uh]
/ ˈɑr i ə, ˈɛər i ə /
noun
-
arias
plural
-
an air or melody.
-
an elaborate melody sung solo with accompaniment, as in an opera or oratorio.
Aria
2
American
[ahr-ee-uh, uh-rahy-uh]
/ ˈɑr i ə, əˈraɪ ə /
noun
Classical Mythology.
-aria
3
American
aria
British
/ ˈɑːrɪə /
noun
aria
Cultural
Discover More
Some composers, such as Richard Wagner, have felt that arias interrupt the action of opera too much and hence have written operas without them.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of aria1
From Italian, dating back to 1735–45; see origin at air 1
Origin of -aria3
< Latin: feminine singular or neuter plural of -ārius -ary
Explanation
An aria is an elaborate song written specifically for a solo voice. If you find yourself belting out "Che gelida manina" from La Boheme in the shower, you’ve just been performing an aria. The word aria comes from the Italian and means "air." The word is often used to describe songs from operas. Two famous ones include “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” — "Love is a rebellious bird" — and “O mio babbino caro” — "Oh my dear Papa!" It is sometimes used almost metaphorically to describe someone’s impressive solo performance of any type. Arias within opera, and classical music in general, are almost always accompanied by instrumental music, but there is only one voice.
Vocabulary lists containing aria
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Music - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As Marzio sang his only aria, summoning Farnace to war, he changed his outfit, making Farnace hand him armor pieces like a servant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
As Juliet, Emma Marhefka’s lyric soprano was best in dramatic moments, such as Act 4’s poison aria; as Romeo, Leonardo Sánchez tended to overcook his tenor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
In Costanzo’s closing aria, “Gandhi’s Prayer,” he leaves behind, Christ-like, hatred and exultation for unsullied love.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026
The song Sweet Transvestite has been described as the first big, glam-rock aria of the musical, and is the audience's introduction to Dr Frank-N-Furter.
From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2026
She was allowed to sing the complete aria.
From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman
In the meantime, Aria Krylova, who’s worked at Anima Mundi for several years, put out the store’s top cooling agents for me to try.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Iran midfielder Aria Yousefi flies into the air after going for the ball against New Zealand midfielder Joe Bell.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026
Aria was found face down on the floor of her home by Ollie Sheppard, who was temporarily lodging there, just after 18:00 GMT.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
I finally scored a short ride from New York-New York Hotel & Casino to Aria Las Vegas on a Monday evening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
“Can I take a picture?” the hazmat named Aria says.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
Renowned internationally, she had a busy concert schedule focused on art songs, choral music, opera arias and Negro spirituals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
He bestows on his characters arias, and Daniel’s cast delivers them as though the words were expressly made for these particular actors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Some arias are cut; Donna Elvira’s Act 2 “Mi tradì” replaces her Act 1 “Ah, fuggi il traditor,” and there is no moralizing epilogue after the Don goes to hell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
To continue the opera metaphor, it’s like staging “La Bohème” with the celebrated arias muted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
I may have to suffer through these lessons before I can go off and practice my arias, but I never get tired of being with him.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.