Librettists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who write the text or lyrics for an opera or musical
2. creators of the spoken and sung dialogue in theatrical productions
3. authors responsible for crafting narratives that accompany musical compositions

Etymology: "Librettist" is the plural of "librettist," a noun formed by adding the suffix "-ist" to "libretto," the Italian word for a little book. The libretto itself was the printed booklet of words sold to audiences at opera performances, so the person who wrote those words was, in effect, the author of that little book. The suffix carries a longer journey than the Italian alone suggests. It descends from Ancient Greek "-istēs," which named people who practised or followed something, and it passed through Latin and Old French before reaching English through Middle English. English took the ending as a productive tool, so "librettist" joined older agent nouns like "novelist" and "pianist" in describing a person defined by a particular craft.

Synonyms: authors, playwrights, scriptwriters, composers