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   O·ver·ture

   /ˈōvərˌCHo͝or/

   

   noun

   • 1. an orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera, suite, play, oratorio, or other extended composition: "the overture to Mozart's “Don Giovanni”" Similar preludeintroductionopeningintroductory movementvoluntaryrare:verset
   • ▪ an independent orchestral composition in one movement: "Tchaikovsky's “1812 Overture”"
   • 2. an introduction to something more substantial: "the talks were no more than an overture to a long debate" Similar preliminarypreludecurtain-raiserintroductionlead-inprecursorforerunnerharbingerheraldstartbeginninginformal:opener
   • 3. an approach or proposal made to someone with the aim of opening negotiations or establishing a relationship: "Coleen listened to his overtures of love" Similar opening moveconciliatory movemoveapproachadvancesfeelersignalproposalpropositionpassoffertendersuggestion

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘aperture’): from Old French, from Latin apertura ‘aperture’.

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • O

     1

   • V

     4

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • T

     1

   • U

     1

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

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