Where does “operetta” come from?
Operetta derives from Italian operetta, a diminutive of Italian opera, from Latin opera meaning "works" or "effort," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃ep- meaning "to work."
operetta (English): A lighter version of opera with a frivolous story...
Definitions
- A lighter version of opera with a frivolous story...
Ancestry of “operetta”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | operetta | operetta |
| 2 | Italian | opera | work; means, help, services; opus |
| 3 | Latin | opera | work, exertion, effort; service; care, attention... |
| 4 | Latin | Opus | The capital city of the Locri and birthplace of Patroclus |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Ὀποῦς | Opus, Greece |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ὀπός | juice, vegetable/plant juice; fig-juice |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sokʷós | juice of plants |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |