What does "overture" mean?
An opening; a recess or chamber.
Overture
/ˈoʊvəɹt͡ʃəɹ/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An opening; a recess or chamber.
- Grammar: overture is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: prelude, advance, advance, approach.
- Useful contrasts: coda, finale, refusal.
- Usage evidence: A majority of two thirds is required to ratify an overture.
How to use "overture"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "overture" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "overture" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "overture" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "overture" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "overture" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "prelude" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "overture", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An opening; a recess or chamber. obsolete
"c. 1612', George Chapman, A Hymne to Hermes the cave's inmost overture"
- 2 orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio wordnet
- 3 Disclosure; discovery; revelation. obsolete
"It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us."
- 4 a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others wordnet
- 5 An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc. often, plural
"overture of friendship"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows wordnet
- 7 A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Scotland
- 8 A musical introduction to a longer piece of music or a dramatic work (such as a play, an opera, or a motion picture).
"The overture was almost at a close; and silence being now more effective than any thing that he could urge in favour of the play, Courtenaye went behind the scenes:..."
- 9 A medley of themes from a larger work, such as an opera or musical, typically played at the beginning but sometimes played at any part of the work or performed as a standalone piece.
"The paradoxical use of an overture at the end of a concert occasionally gave rise to satire in the musical press."
Verb
- 1 To make overtures; to approach with a proposal. intransitive
"For a partner setting a table in a game of “house,” an overturing child might assume the role of the father returning home from work at dinnertime rather than overturing by throwing a ball toward the child and yelling “catch.”"
Adjective
- 1 Overt, that is, disclosed. nonstandard, not-comparable
"Crest : A falcon, wings overture."
Example
"A majority of two thirds is required to ratify an overture."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "overture"?
Common synonyms include: prelude, advance, advance, approach, approach, asking price.
How do you use "overture" in a sentence?
A majority of two thirds is required to ratify an overture.
How do you pronounce "overture"?
Pronounced /ˈoʊvəɹt͡ʃəɹ/.
Etymology
From Middle English overture, from Anglo-Norman, Middle French overture, from Old French overture. Doublet of aperture.