libreto

libretto, script

noun lee-BREH-toh Rare

Origin: From Italian libretto, diminutive of libro (book).

Usage Note

Libreto is the text or script of an opera, musical, or similar stage work — covering lyrics, dialogue, and stage directions. It is a borrowing from Italian operatic tradition. For a film or TV script the standard word is guión; libreto would sound unusual in those contexts.

Examples

"El libreto de la ópera fue escrito en el siglo XIX."

Natural Translation

The opera's libretto was written in the 19th century.

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