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Glite Dictionary
mezzo-soprano

mezzo-soprano

2 6.9
A woman singer with a voice higher than a low voice but lower than a very high voice
  • noun
  • /ˌmɛtsoʊ səˈprɑːnoʊ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mezzo-soprano
  • The concert featured a stunning performance by a talented mezzo-soprano, captivating the audience with her rich voice.
  • mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade
  • mezzo-soprano Frederica von
  • mezzo-soprano Frederica

Examples

  • At the opera, the leading mezzo-soprano delivered a breathtaking aria that showcased her vocal range.

  • I hope my voice ends up in the mezzo-soprano range when I'm older, right in the middle, as I like it.

    Academic text (2015)

  • The scene ends with an octet: two sopranos, a mezzo-soprano, and two tenors.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • So was his lifelong infatuation with the Spanish mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot-Garcia.

    Blog text (18)

  • Mezzo-soprano and longtime friend of the Center, Julia Bentley, will also be featured extensively throughout the concert alongside pianist Kuang-Hao Huang.

    Blog text (14)

  • The music teacher explained that a mezzo-soprano has a voice that lies between soprano and contralto, making it quite versatile.

Synonyms

mezzo
vsmezzo-soprano
  • Specialized
4 8.0

A female singing voice between soprano and contralto

has identical meaning but appears as the longer hyphenated form

How High

soprano
5.3
mezzo-soprano
  • Specialized
2 6.9
contralto
  • Specialized
7.8

Surface Forms

mezzo-soprano singular
mezzo-sopranos plural
mezzo-soprani plural

Morphology

mezzo-soprano = soprano (semi-transparent) = mezzo + soprano

The element 'mezzo-' modifies 'soprano' to indicate a middle-range voice, but 'mezzo' is an Italian musical term that many learners may not know, so inference is only partially straightforward.

Etymology

Mezzo-soprano comes from Italian: mezzo means 'middle' and soprano is the high female singing voice, so a mezzo-soprano sings in the 'middle' range between soprano and the lower female voice. You may also see mezzo in music words like 'mezzo-forte', which means 'medium loud', and this helps remember that mezzo means 'middle'.