a large group of musicians, esp one whose members play a variety of different instruments
See also symphony orchestra, chamber orchestraa group of musicians, each playing the same type of instrument - Also called: orchestra pit
the space reserved for musicians in a theatre, immediately in front of or under the stage the stalls in a theatre (in the ancient Greek theatre) the semicircular space in front of the stage
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
or•ches•tra /ˈɔrkəstrə, -kɛstrə/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -tras.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Music and Dancea group of performers on various musical instruments, including esp. strings, winds, and drums, who play music together.
- Architecture, Show Business
- Show Businessthe space reserved for the musicians, usually the front part of the main floor (ˈor•ches•tra ˌpit.)
- Show Businessthe entire main-floor space for the audience.
- the front section of seats on the main floor.
- Architecture, Show Business(in ancient theaters) the circular space in front of the stage, used for the chorus or reserved for important persons.
or•ches•tra
(ôr′kə strə),USA pronunciation n.
- Music and Dancea group of performers on various musical instruments, including esp. stringed instruments of the viol class, clarinets and flutes, cornets and trombones, drums, and cymbals, for playing music, as symphonies, operas, popular music, or other compositions.
- Architecture(in a modern theater)
- Show Businessthe space reserved for the musicians, usually the front part of the main floor (or′chestra pit′).
- Show Businessthe entire main-floor space for spectators.
- the parquet.
- Architecture, Show Business(in the ancient Greek theater) the circular space in front of the stage, allotted to the chorus.
- Architecture, Show Business(in the Roman theater) a similar space reserved for persons of distinction.
- Greek orché̄stra the space on which the chorus danced, derivative of orcheîsthai to dance
- Latin orchēstra
- 1590–1600
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