Word origin – in Italian, the word OPERA literally means what?

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question focuses on the origin and literal meaning of the word opera. Although many people associate opera only with a type of musical performance, the term comes from Italian and has a more basic meaning. Understanding this origin helps you see how some artistic terms are connected to everyday words in other languages.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Opera is an Italian word widely adopted into English to describe a form of musical drama.

The question asks for its literal meaning in Italian, not its modern English usage.

Italian is a Romance language derived from Latin, and many of its words are related to Latin roots used in English.

The correct answer should match the original sense as used in Italian and Latin, where opera is the plural of opus.

Concept / Approach:
In Italian, opera comes from Latin opus, meaning work. Opera originally referred to works or a work, especially a work of art or a major effort. Over time, it began to be used specifically for a large musical and dramatic work that combines singing and orchestral music. Thus, while English speakers think of opera mainly as a kind of musical performance, the literal Italian meaning remains work. Other options like word, energy, or force are not supported by the historical root of the term.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Latin word opus means work, particularly a significant artistic or literary work. Step 2: Understand that opera is historically the plural form of opus in Latin and is used in Italian as a noun meaning work or piece of work. Step 3: Check option B Work and see that it aligns directly with this Latin and Italian origin. Step 4: Review option A Word, which relates instead to the Latin verbum, not to opus or opera. Step 5: Look at options C, D, and E, which suggest energy, force, and song; these may be associated with the feel of a performance but not with the actual root meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of related English words. Opus is used in phrases like Opus 35 to label a specific work by a composer. These numbering systems come from the Latin for work. The term magnum opus means great work, used for an artist s or writer s most important creation. Opera house is literally the house where such works are performed. Understanding that both opus and opera are linked forms of the same Latin root makes it clear that work is the literal meaning in Italian and Latin, even though in modern English, opera refers to a particular musical genre.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A Word has a different Latin root and does not match the history of opera.
Option C Energy and option D Force may describe qualities of a performance but are not part of the etymology.
Option E Song reflects one aspect of an opera performance, since it includes singing, but it is not the literal meaning of the Italian term.

Common Pitfalls:
Exam takers sometimes pick Song because opera performances involve singing, or Word because the shapes of opera and word look somewhat similar in English. However, in etymology questions, it is safer to rely on known Latin roots such as opus for work. Learning a few common Latin and Greek roots can greatly improve your ability to answer these types of questions and also help you guess meanings of unfamiliar academic vocabulary.

Final Answer:
In Italian, the word OPERA literally means work.