orchestra
nounUK /ˈɔː.kɪs.tɹə/ · CA, US /ˈoɹ.kɪs.tɹə/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin orchēstra, borrowed from Ancient Greek ὀρχήστρα (orkhḗstra), from ὀρχέομαι (orkhéomai, “to dance”) + -τρᾰ (-tră, “a suffix used to form instrument nouns (pl.)”).
1
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including some from strings, woodwind, brass and/or percussion; the instruments played by such a group.
- The orchestra plays music for the dancers to dance to in the 19th century-styled dance hall.
- It requires quite an orchestra to get a train to start; the guard blows his horn, the stationmaster rings a large bell, and the engine whistles.1941 February, Voyageur, “The Railways of Greece”, in Railway Magazine, page 67:
1 more example
- Musicians play their instruments. I play the orchestra.2015, Aaron Sorkin, Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs, spoken by Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender):
2
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Theater A semicircular space in front of the stage used by the chorus in Ancient Greek and Hellenistic theatres.
3
The area in a theatre or concert hall where the musicians sit, immediately in front of and below the stage, sometimes (also) used by other performers.
- Derived terms
- chamber orchestra, miniorchestra, monkey orchestra, orchestra hit, orchestral, orchestraless, orchestra pit, orchestra-pit, orchestra stall, orchestra stalls, orchestrate, orchestration, orchestrina, orchestrion, palm court orchestra, philharmonic orchestra, pops orchestra, steel pan orchestra, string orchestra, symphony orchestra