coloratura
noun
col·or·a·tu·ra
ˌkə-lə-rə-ˈtu̇r-ə 
-ˈtyu̇r-
often attributive
1
: elaborate embellishment in vocal music
broadly
: music with ornate figuration
2
: a soprano with a light agile voice specializing in coloratura
Examples of coloratura in a Sentence
a performance without much coloratura
Recent Examples on the Web
The comedic farce by Peter Quilter is based on Jenkins, an American socialite and amateur coloratura soprano who during the early 20th century was known for being flamboyant in attire and having a notably poor singing voice.
—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
Unlike the rich, powerful qualities of a dramatic soprano, or the warm, singing tone of a lyric soprano, the coloratura soprano possesses a high range (to the second C above middle C and higher) and extreme agility.
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
From the sixteenth century through the early twentieth, their coloratura runs and trills touched the frescoed ceilings of the great basilicas.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Pitch, resonance, and intonation can all be reshaped: men tend to a narrow range and flat melody, women to coloratura leaps and flourishes, turning thought into small songs.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
She is gifted with a lovely color of a lyric soprano suitable for roles in the spectrum from a lyric, lyric coloratura to a soubrette.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Born in Portland, Maine, to Lucille Potter Lavin, who was once a coloratura soprano opera singer onstage and on the radio, Lavin first took the stage at the age of 5.
—Carmel Dagan, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Her mother, Lucille, was a coloratura soprano and radio personality who sang with Paul Whiteman’s band, and her father, David, owned a furniture business.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
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Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
Unlike the rich, powerful qualities of a dramatic soprano, or the warm, singing tone of a lyric soprano, the coloratura soprano possesses a high range (to the second C above middle C and higher) and extreme agility.
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
From the sixteenth century through the early twentieth, their coloratura runs and trills touched the frescoed ceilings of the great basilicas.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Pitch, resonance, and intonation can all be reshaped: men tend to a narrow range and flat melody, women to coloratura leaps and flourishes, turning thought into small songs.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
She is gifted with a lovely color of a lyric soprano suitable for roles in the spectrum from a lyric, lyric coloratura to a soubrette.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Born in Portland, Maine, to Lucille Potter Lavin, who was once a coloratura soprano opera singer onstage and on the radio, Lavin first took the stage at the age of 5.
—Carmel Dagan, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Her mother, Lucille, was a coloratura soprano and radio personality who sang with Paul Whiteman’s band, and her father, David, owned a furniture business.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Coloratura.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coloratura. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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