classical
adjective
clas·si·cal
| \ ˈkla-si-kəl
\
\
Definition of classical
2a
: of or relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world and especially to its literature, art, architecture, or ideals
classical civilization
b
: versed in the classics
a classical scholar
3a
: of or relating to music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries characterized by an emphasis on balance, clarity, and moderation
b
: of, relating to, or being music in the educated European tradition that includes such forms as art song, chamber music, opera, and symphony as distinguished from folk or popular music or jazz
4a
: authoritative, traditional
b(1)
: of or relating to a form or system considered of first significance in earlier times
classical Mendelian genetics
(2)
: not involving relativity, wave mechanics, or quantum theory
classical physics
c
: conforming to a pattern of usage sanctioned by a body of literature rather than by everyday speech
5
: concerned with or giving instruction in the humanities, the fine arts, and the broad aspects of science
a classical curriculum
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Synonyms & Antonyms for classical
Synonyms
conventional, customary, prescriptive, traditional
Antonyms
nontraditional, unconventional, uncustomary, untraditional
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Examples of classical in a Sentence
the classical preparation of a ham for Easter
a writer celebrated for his classical profiles of eminent Victorians
Recent Examples on the Web
None of it is easy — King Crimson is famous for unusual rhythmic timing, busy arrangements that touch on classical and jazz and complicated solos that are both choreographed and improvised. — Steve Knopper, chicagotribune.com, "After almost four decades, there is still no room for error in the work of King Crimson," 5 Sep. 2019 Schulz was not particularly a fan of rock music – his record collection leaned toward classical and country-western – yet Life magazine’s coverage of the event caught his eye. — Michael Cavna, Twin Cities, "How Charles Schulz finally named that bird Woodstock after the 1969 music festival," 18 Aug. 2019 Schulz was not particularly a fan of rock music — his record collection leaned toward classical and country-western — yet Life magazine’s coverage of the event caught his eye. — Michael Cavna, Washington Post, "How Woodstock — the bird — was inspired by the 1969 music festival," 15 Aug. 2019 Advancing Eyecare, which is backed by Atlantic Street Capital, acquired Ophthalmic Instruments & Consulting Company, a Woodinville, Wash.-basedprovider of classical and diagnostic equipment in the Pacific Northwest. — Polina Marinova, Fortune, "This VC Firm Just Raised More Than $1 Billion To Invest in Moonshots: Term Sheet," 1 Aug. 2019 Presented are incredibly faithful recreations of classical and contemporary works of art with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. — Jane Napier Neely, La Cañada Valley Sun, "The Valley Line: Hospital gallery opening and Laguna pageant both picture perfect," 29 July 2019 Hamburgers, like music, may be grouped into two broad categories: classical and pop. — Peter Meehan, Los Angeles Times, "A collection of Gold-isms: soft-porn videocassettes, Claes Oldenburg and Metallica," 18 July 2019 After all, as DUO Stephanie & Saar, the two pianists had earned a national reputation for their performances of classical and contemporary music. — Brett Campbell | For The Oregonian/oregon Live, oregonlive.com, "At this classical music festival, you can come and go as you please, amid wine and cheese," 19 June 2019 Central Florida groups offering programs in theater, dance, classical and popular music, visual arts, science and history are eligible to have their 2018-19 season schedules published. — Anne Dunlap, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Hey, Orlando and Central Florida arts groups - send us your 2018-19 events," 28 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'classical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for classical
classical
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of classical
: of a kind that has been respected for a long time
: of or relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world and especially to its language, literature, art, etc.
: relating to music in a European tradition that includes opera and symphony and that is generally considered more serious than other kinds of music
See the full definition for classical in the English Language Learners Dictionary
classical
adjective
clas·si·cal
| \ ˈkla-si-kəl
\
\
Kids Definition of classical
1
: of a kind that has long been considered great
classical ballet
2
: of or relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world and especially to its language and arts
3
: relating to music in a European tradition that includes opera and symphony and that is generally considered more serious than other kinds of music
4
: concerned with a general study of the arts and sciences
a classical education
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