WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
sym•phon•ic
(sim fon′ik),USA pronunciation adj.
sym•phon′i•cal•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Music and Danceof, for, pertaining to, or having the character of a symphony or symphony orchestra.
- Music and Danceof or pertaining to symphony or harmony of sounds.
- characterized by similarity of sound, as words.
- symphon(y) + -ic 1855–60
sym•pho•ny /ˈsɪmfəni/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -nies.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Music and Dancea long musical composition for a large orchestra, usually having four parts or movements.
- anything having a harmonious or pleasing combination of elements or parts:a symphony of color.
sym•pho•ny
(sim′fə nē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -nies.
- Music and Dance
- an elaborate instrumental composition in three or more movements, similar in form to a sonata but written for an orchestra and usually of far grander proportions and more varied elements.
- an instrumental passage occurring in a vocal composition, or between vocal movements in a composition.
- an instrumental piece, often in several movements, forming the overture to an opera or the like.
- Music and DanceSee symphony orchestra.
- Music and Dancea concert performed by a symphony orchestra.
- anything characterized by a harmonious combination of elements, esp. an effective combination of colors.
- harmony of sounds.
- [Archaic.]agreement;
concord.
- Greek symphōnía harmony. See sym-, -phony
- Latin symphōnia concert
- Old French symphonie
- Middle English symfonye 1250–1300
'symphonic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Balakirev
- Rawsthorne
- Saint-Saëns
- Smetana
- Strauss
- symphony
- symphonic poem
- tone poem
- concertante
- concerto
- Finlandia
- genre
- Hillis
- poem
- Scheherazade
- symphony orchestra