opus

A work of music or set of works with a specified rank in an ordering of a composer's complete published works.

Noun

  1. A work of music or set of works with a specified rank in an ordering of a composer's complete published works.
    • Beethoven's "Razumovsky" Quartets, Op. 59, are considered by many to be the beginning of the Romantic era.
  2. A work, especially of art.
    • The painter's last opus was a dedication to all things living, in a surprising contrast to all of his prior work.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₃épos Proto-Italic *opos Latin opusbor. English opus Borrowed from Latin opus.

Forms

opuses opera

Related

opus incertum opus magnum opus operantis opus operatum opus quadratum opus spicatum

Derived

opuscule