opus

[ oh-puhs ]

noun

, plural o·pus·es o·pe·ra [oh, -per-, uh, op, -er-, uh].

1. a musical composition.
2. one of the compositions of a composer, usually numbered according to the order of publication.
3. a literary work or composition, as a book: : op.

   Have you read her latest opus?

opus

/ ˈəʊpəs; ˈɔp- /

noun

1. an artistic composition, esp a musical work
2. often capital (usually followed by a number) a musical composition by a particular composer, generally catalogued in order of publication

   Beethoven's opus 61 is his violin concerto

Word History and Origins

Origin of opus¹

1695–1705; < Latin: work, labor, a work

Word History and Origins

Origin of opus¹

C18: from Latin: a work; compare Sanskrit apas work

Example Sentences

The task before it is daunting enough, the same as every director and screenwriter had to confront when adapting Frank Herbert’s opus.

From Salon

His magnum opus was Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” widely agreed upon as the bestselling album of all time.

From Los Angeles Times

Keyes says she had originally planned to write an opus across 40 years but decided to write a love story instead following the pandemic.

From BBC

Miller’s magnum opus, “Fury Road” is at once the apotheosis of his cinematic genius — it’s one of the great movies of the last decade — and a departure narratively and tonally from the previous films.

From New York Times

Arguably the most feverishly awaited entry is Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed opus “Megalopolis.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• magnum opus