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classical

classical

123 3.8
Relating to formal European music like symphonies and operas
  • adjective
  • /ˈklæsɪkəl/
translation icon : clásico
  • You like classical music?
  • classical music
  • classical musician
  • classical piece

It's exactly the same thing in classical music, precisely the same thing.

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Examples

  • I happen to like classical, but I also like guitar and I like a lot of old songs and music from the movies.

  • Slow, soothing music such as classical pieces has been associated with increased milk yield due to its calming effects on cows.

  • This was a little weird because these women were all classical music fans.

  • This is just classical music and like so far, everyone looks so young.

  • And now my parents have no connections at this point into the classical music world.

  • The possibility of failure in the world of a classical musician is so much higher than in any other field.

  • But that's perfect for a classical music program.

  • In the 1950s, he engineered and produced classical music albums for Angel Records.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I prefer classical Bach and Beethoven.

  • At the concert hall, the audience applauded enthusiastically after the classical orchestra performed a beautiful symphony.

Compounds

Music that is formal and often played by orchestras, mainly from Europe since the 1700s

A traditional dance style with precise, formal movements performed to classical music

A form of Ancient Greek spoken and written in Athens to create famous plays and philosophy around 400 BC

Art from ancient Greece that uses balance and simple beauty, like statues and temples

1 3.9

Learning where a neutral thing causes an automatic reaction after being paired many times with something that already causes it

classical mythology
  • Literature
1 6.1

Stories about gods and heroes from ancient Greece and Rome

A person who studies ancient Greek and Latin language, writings, and culture

The form of Latin used by educated people in ancient Rome, especially in literature and formal writing

classical mechanics
  • Specialized
5.9

Part of physics that explains how objects move when forces act, not using quantum or relativity

classical philology
  • Specialized
9.9

Study of ancient languages and texts like Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit

A building style that uses tall columns, symmetry, and simple proportions

6.4

The usual design of computers and software that do not use quantum methods

classical hemophilia
  • Specialized
5.2

An inherited bleeding disorder where people lack clotting protein factor VIII and bleed for a long time, mainly males

How Early

prehistoric
47 5.2
archaic
34 9.9
preclassical
  • Specialized
8.1
classical
123 3.8
postclassical
  • Specialized
8.0

Surface Forms

classical positive

Morphology

classical = classic (semi-transparent) = classic + al

The formation is regular, but 'classical' as a label for a specific historical European music tradition is a conventionalized sense that learners must learn as a domain-specific extension.

Etymology

The word classical for music borrows the same idea: from Latin classicus 'of the first class', it names music that follows clear forms and balance, which is why Mozart and Beethoven are part of the classical tradition.