different between overture vs symphony

English

Etymology

From Middle English overture, from Anglo-Norman, Middle French overture, from Old French overture. Doublet of aperture.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /???v?tj??/, /???v?t?(?)?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?o?v??t???/

Noun

overture (plural overtures)

1. (obsolete) An opening; a recess or chamber. [15th-19th c.]
   • c. 1612', George Chapman, A Hymne to Hermes

     the cave's inmost overture

2. (obsolete) Disclosure; discovery; revelation.
3. (often in plural) An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc. [from 15th c.]
   • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 20:

     My mother had no choice; one did not turn down such an overture from the regent.

4. (Scotland) A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. [from 16th c.]
5. (music) A musical introduction to a piece of music. [from 17th c.]

Antonyms

• (opening of a piece of music): coda

Related terms

• overt

Translations

Verb

overture (third-person singular simple present overtures, present participle overturing, simple past and past participle overtured)

1. (intransitive) To make overtures; to approach with a proposal.
   • 2012, K.H. Rubin, H.S. Ross, Peer Relationships and Social Skills in Childhood (page 44)

     For a partner setting a table in a game of “house,” an overturing child might assume the role of the father returning home from work at dinnertime rather than overturing by throwing a ball toward the child and yelling “catch.”

Anagrams

• trouvère

Old French

Etymology

overt +? -ure, from ovrir (“to open”), or from Vulgar Latin *opert?ra, from Latin apert?ra.

Noun

overture f (oblique plural overtures, nominative singular overture, nominative plural overtures)

1. an opening

   Par l'overture s'en saut hors. (Tristan, Béroul)

   He jumped out through the opening.

Descendants

• English: overture
• French: ouverture

English

Etymology

From Middle English symphonye, from Old French simphonie, from Latin symphonia, from Ancient Greek ???????? (sumph?nía). Synchronically, syn- +? -phony. Doublet of sinfonia, symphonia, tsampouna, and zampogna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?m.f?.ni/, [?s??.f?.ni]
• IPA^(key): /?s?m.pf?.ni/, [?s?m.pf?.ni]

Noun

symphony (countable and uncountable, plural symphonies)

1. An extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra.
2. (music) An instrumental introduction or termination to a vocal composition.
3. Harmony in music or colour, or a harmonious combination of elements.
4. (US, informal) A symphony orchestra.

Derived terms

• symphonist

Translations

Anagrams

• hyponyms, physnomy