opera seria: Meaning and Definition of

o•pe•ra se•ri•a

Pronunciation: (op'ur-u sēr'ē-u, op'ruIt.ô'pe-rä se'ryä), [key]
— pl. o•pe•ra se•rias, o•pe•ras se•ria, o•pe•re se•rie
  1. Italian dramatic opera of the 18th century based typically on a classical subject and characterized by extensive use of the aria da capo and recitative.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.