DictionaryAI

opus

noun
SayOH-puhsUS/ˈoʊpəs//ˈəʊpəs/

Pluralopuses, opera

2 meanings of opus

Practice

  1. 1
    work of artnouncountable
    A piece of creative work, especially a painting, book, or other work of art.

    Like the one big project an artist is most proud of.

    The painter called this huge mural his greatest opus.

    She spent ten years writing the novel that became her life's opus.

    UsageMagnum opus means a person's greatest work.

    Similarwork, creation, piece, masterpiece

  2. 2
    numbered musicnouncountable
    A piece or set of pieces of music given one number that shows its place in a composer's published works.

    Like a number on each song that tells you the order a musician made them.

    The piano piece we played tonight was the composer's Opus 3.

    The program lists the sonata as Opus 2, one of the composer's earliest published works.

    UsageOften shortened to Op. before a number, as in Op. 10.

    Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from the Latin word opus.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact