opera – Actually the Latin plural of opus, “labor, work.” More…
prima donna – Meaning “principal female singer in an opera,” it is from the same Italian phrase meaning “first lady”; the meaning “temperamental person” was first recorded in 1834. More…
primo vomo – The principal male singer in an opera. More…
soap opera – Goes back (1939) to the early days of radio suspense serials, which were mainly sponsored by soap-makers; the “opera” part is an echo of the earlier “horse opera”—a Western (1927). More…