symphony means an extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra. It carries an Arena rating of 1876, earned across 51 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, symphony ranks #52 of 40,231 for Qualifying, #304 of 17,120 for Most Beautiful Words, #967 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words, #1,632 of 17,116 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
symphony is pronounced /ˈsɪm.fə.ni/.
Why “symphony” is a great word
An extended musical composition of sophisticated structure, typically in multiple movements and performed by an orchestra, designed to convey complex ideas through the unified voices of many instruments. Its name derives from the Greek συμφωνία (symphōnía), meaning 'agreement or concord of sound.' Unlike a concerto, which stages a dramatic dialogue between soloist and ensemble, or a sonata, which develops themes in a more intimate, chamber-scale frame, the symphony is a civic argument, a grand architectural undertaking. It is the low thrum of cellos rising through the floorboards, the luminous clash of brass from the heights, and the dark, rolling thunder of the timpani—a fleeting testament to the possibility of order wrested from chaos, a momentary concord in a dissonant world.
noun
- An extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra.e.g.“classical symphony”
- An instrumental introduction or termination to a vocal composition.
- Harmony in music or colour, or a harmonious combination of elements.e.g.“She described the city at night as a symphony of lights and sounds.”
- A symphony orchestra.
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