Saint Ignatius High School

Etymology Word of the Week

Director of Admissions Pat O'Rourke '90, a self-proclaimed "word nerd," brings you his Etymology Word of the Week. Every other week he presents an online Etymology lesson just for fun!
Opera - "an extended dramatic composition, in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompaniment.”  From the Italian noun opera meaning “work, labor, composition,” which itself comes from the Latin noun opus, operis, neut. meaning “work.” (All information is from www.wikipedia.org, www.etymonline.com and/or www.dictionary.com).

RELATED WORDS/PHRASES – operation, Opus Dei (“Work of God”), magnum opus (“great work”), oeuvre, Grand Ole Opry, operatic, operetta

SAMPLE SENTENCE - “My wife and I plan to take in an opera while we dine in Little Italy this summer - can’t wait!”

GUESS THE APHORISM:  ‘Tis better to have loved and lost... (scroll for the answer)












































 
A: ...than never to have loved at all.
-Alfred Lord Tennyson