What does symphony mean?
Word: Symphony
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Symphony means a long piece of music for a large orchestra, usually in four parts called movements; also any pleasing mixture of sounds or colours.
Word origin: Comes from a Greek word meaning 'harmony' or 'sounding together'.
How do you spell symphony?
Syllables: sym - pho - ny
Tricky part: The first vowel is y, not i, because the word comes from Greek syn, 'together'. Simphony is the classic slip.
Watch out for: simphony, cymphony
Memory tip: Start with sym, as in sympathy and symbol, two more words that came from Greek.
Symphony in a sentence
Example 1: The school orchestra played the first movement of a symphony at the summer concert.
Example 2: Sitting by the lake at dawn, we heard a symphony of birdsong.
Example 3: Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was only eight.
Fun Fact
Joseph Haydn wrote 104 numbered symphonies, which is one reason he is often called the father of the symphony.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
sym_ _ony
a) ff
b) ph
c) pf
d) gh
Show answer
b) ph. The Greek word for sound gives English ph, as in microphone.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ph' pronounced differently?
a) dolphin
b) shepherd
c) alphabet
d) symphony
Show answer
b) shepherd. Shepherd is sheep + herd, so the p and h belong to different parts and you hear no f; the other three say ph as f.
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
The orchestra rehearsed the new symphoney for six weeks before its premiere at the concert hall in Vienna.
a) the first public performance of a play or piece of music
b) a large group of musicians who play together
c) practised a performance before giving it in public
d) a lengthy musical work in several sections for a full set of instruments
Show answer
d) a lengthy musical work in several sections for a full set of instruments. Symphoney has an extra e; the word ends -ony, like harmony.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
pmyynsho 12345678
a) 63217854
b) 18234756
c) 72184365
d) 47283615
Show answer
a) 63217854. Find the s, then the letter that sounds like i, and the orchestra word falls into place.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who is best known for writing symphonies?
a) Picasso
b) Shakespeare
c) Newton
d) Beethoven
Show answer
d) Beethoven
2. 'A symphony of colours' describes colours that ___.
a) fade very quickly
b) are hard to see
c) blend well together
d) clash with each other
Show answer
c) blend well together
