- an extended large-scale orchestral composition, usually with several movements, at least one of which is in sonata form. The classical form of the symphony was fixed by Haydn and Mozart, but the innovations of subsequent composers have freed it entirely from classical constraints. It continues to be a vehicle for serious, large-scale orchestral music
- a piece of instrumental music in up to three very short movements, used as an overture to or interlude in a baroque opera
- any purely orchestral movement in a vocal work, such as a cantata or oratorio
short for symphony orchestra - (in musical theory, esp of classical Greece)
another word for consonance - anything distinguished by a harmonious composition: the picture was a symphony of green
- archaic harmony in general; concord
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
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
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
symphony /ˈsɪmfənɪ/ n ( pl -nies)
'symphony' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Abbado
- art form
- atmosphere
- Bantock
- Bliss
- Brian
- concerto
- Davis
- d'Indy
- Franck
- Gergiev
- Górecki
- Haydn
- immaculate
- key
- LSO
- minuet
- movement
- orchestra
- Rattle
- sinfonia
- sinfonietta
- Slatkin
- Solti
- sonata
- sonata form
- string
- symphony orchestra
- Toscanini
- Zemlinsky
- Age of Anxiety
- almost
- Ansermet
- Babi Yar Symphony
- broadcast
- concertmaster
- debut
- emotion
- entire
- Eroica Symphony
- fiddle
- Fiedler
- friend
- jubilant
- Mitropoulos
- Monteux
- pastoral
- Pastoral Symphony, The
- philharmonic
- pop concert