orchestra

or-ches-tra · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.

  2. 2.

    (also orchestra pit) The area in a theater in front of the stage where musicians sit.

  3. 3.

    The ground floor seating in a theater.

Forms

plural: orchestras

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    symphony orchestra — a large classical orchestra
  • •
    chamber orchestra — a smaller orchestra typically for baroque or classical music
  • •
    orchestra pit — the area in front of a stage where musicians perform

Related words

See also: band, conductor, ensemble, symphony
Synonyms: ensemble, philharmonic, symphony

Etymology

From Greek orkhestra ("the space where the chorus dances"), from orkheisthai ("to dance").