Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A drama, typically performed as a serial on daytime television or radio, characterized by stock characters and situations, sentimentality, and melodrama.
- noun A series of experiences characterized by dramatic displays of emotion.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
radio ortelevision serial , typically broadcast in the afternoon or evening, about the lives ofmelodramatic characters, which are often filled with strongemotions , highly dramatic situations andsuspense .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a serialized program usually dealing with sentimentalized family matters that is broadcast on radio or television (frequently sponsored by a company advertising soap products)
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[From its originally having been sponsored by soap companies.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From soap + opera: soap from the soap and detergent commercials originally broadcast during the shows, which were aimed at women who were cleaning their house at the time of viewing; opera from the melodramatic character of the shows.
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