- [countable + singular or plural verb] a large group of people who play various musical instruments together, led by a conductor
- She plays the flute in the school orchestra.
- the Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- The competition gave the young composer her first opportunity to write for a full orchestra.
- The orchestra is/are touring Europe this summer.
Extra ExamplesTopics Musicb2- The full orchestra includes two harps.
- The orchestra struck up a lively march.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- large
- small
- full
- …
- conduct
- lead
- join
- …
- perform (something)
- play (something)
- strike up (something)
- …
- pit
- in a/the orchestra
- orchestra under
- the leader of the orchestra
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- the orchestra[singular] (North American English)(British English the orchestra stalls, the stalls)the seats that are nearest to the stage in a theatreTopics Film and theatrec2
Word Originearly 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek orkhēstra, from orkheisthai ‘to dance’.
Check pronunciation:
orchestra