/op"euhr euh booh"feuh, op"reuh/ ; It. /aw"pe rddah boohf"fah/ , pl. opera buffas, operas buffa , It. opere buffe /aw"pe rdde boohf"fe/ .
1. an Italian farcical comic opera originating in the 18th century and containing recitativo secco, patter songs, and ensemble finales.
2. the operatic genre comprising such works.
[ 1795-1805; ]