overture
🇺🇸 /ˈoʊvɜrtʃɜr/
📖 Definitions
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noun
An orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera, suite, or other musical composition, serving as an introduction.; An independent orchestral composition in one movement, often programmatic in nature, intended for concert performance rather than as part of a larger work.; An introductory or preliminary proposal, offer, or approach made to someone, often as a first step toward negotiation or establishing a relationship.; An opening move or action; a beginning or prelude to something.; A proposal or offer of marriage.; In ecclesiastical usage, a formal proposal submitted to a church court or assembly for consideration.
🔗 Details
Word forms
countable
Plural: overtures
Collocations
make overtures topeace overturesorchestral overtureoverture to an operadiplomatic overtures
Synonyms
preludeintroductionopeningproposalapproachadvance
Antonyms
finaleconclusion
Commonly confused
overturn
EN: 'Overturn' means to reverse or capsize; 'overture' means a musical introduction or a preliminary proposal.
ouverture
EN: 'Ouverture' is the French spelling; in English the correct form is 'overture' without the second 'u'.
Spelling tips
EN: Derived from French 'ouverture,' but in English the second 'u' is dropped: 'overture,' not 'ouverture.'
💬 Examples
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The orchestra played the overture before the curtain rose on the first act.
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Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is one of the most frequently performed concert overtures.
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The company made overtures to its competitor about a possible merger.
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The border skirmish was merely an overture to the full-scale war that followed.
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He made his overture to her father, asking for permission to court her.
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The presbytery submitted an overture to the General Assembly requesting a change in church governance.