From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Musicsymphonysym‧pho‧ny /ˈsɪmfəni/ ●○○ noun (plural symphonies) [countable]1APMa long piece of music usually in four parts, written for an orchestra
Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony2APM (also symphony orchestra) a large group of classicalmusicians led by a conductor —symphonic /sɪmˈfɒnɪk $ -ˈfɑː-/ adjectiveExamples from the Corpussymphony• Looking back, I thought it was a symphony from hell.• A tapedeck played a Beethoven symphony and children played with Fisher-Price toys.• Who else has had five symphonies of his own played to internationalaudiences by the age of nine?• the St. Louis Symphony• Then the war came and after the war the concert-managers offered me a chance to do all the Mahler symphonies.• When he married her, she was a reserved, very plaingirl who played the harp in a provincialsymphony orchestra.• Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6• Scores by Holst, Faure, Elgar and Cherubini are also in store during the symphonysubscriptionseries.• We are not expecting to be a new board for the symphony.• It is also a haven for the symphony, ballet and theater.• The symphony is looking for a new conductor.Originsymphony(1200-1300)Old Frenchsymphonie, from Latinsymphonia, from Greek, from symphonos“sounding together”, from syn- ( → SYN-) + phone“voice, sound”
