opus Meaning
- formal
- literary
An "opus" is a creative work, most commonly used to refer to a musical composition or a literary masterpiece. The word carries a sense of weight and significance, suggesting that the work is a substantial contribution to an artist's body of work or a defining achievement in their career. While it can refer to any individual work, it is often used in the context of an "opus magnum" (or "magnum opus"), which signifies a person's greatest or most important work. Because of this, the term is rarely used for trivial or casual projects; it implies a level of ambition, scale, or artistic maturity that commands respect.
opus in Conversation
Discussing a composer's career
- Sarah: Have you listened to his latest symphony?Have you listened to his latest symphony?
- Mark: Yes, it is clearly his finest opus to date.Yes, it is clearly his finest opus to date.
Used here to emphasize the high quality of a specific work.
Discussing a writer's legacy
- Elena: She spent twenty years writing that novel.She spent twenty years writing that novel.
- Julian: It really is her magnum opus, isn't it?It really is her magnum opus, isn't it?
'Magnum opus' is a common collocation meaning 'great work'.
Examples
The artist considered this painting to be his first true opus.
The artist considered this painting to be his first true opus.
The composer’s entire opus is now available in this digital collection.
The composer’s entire opus is now available in this digital collection.
After decades of research, the professor finally published his magnum opus on ancient civilizations.
After decades of research, the professor finally published his magnum opus on ancient civilizations.