mozart

IPA/mˈəʊtsɑːt/
KK[mˈozɑrt]IPA/mˈoʊzɑːrt/

mozart — noun

1. an Austrian musician and composer who lived in the 1700s and is known for creati

1.nounB1
Definition

an Austrian musician and composer who lived in the 1700s and is known for creating some of the most famous works of classical music, including operas such as The Marriage of Figaro, symphonies, and concertos; he was a child prodigy who began composing music at age five.

Example

Lotte's piano teacher played a recording of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 16 during the lesson.

possessive: Mozart's + work title

Mozart wrote over six hundred pieces of music before dying at age thirty-five.

Common collocations
  • Mozart symphony
  • Mozart opera
  • Mozart concerto
  • Mozart sonata
  • Mozart effect

Grammar Patterns

used as a proper noun without article

Usage Note

In English, the composer is normally referred to by his surname alone — Mr. Mozart would sound unnatural. His complete name, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is used only in formal biographical contexts or for emphasis.

Common Mistakes

Mr. Mozart wrote many symphonies.
Mozart wrote many symphonies.
Historical composers are referred to by surname without a title.
Mozart was born in 1756, and he composed The Magic Flute.
Mozart was born in 1756 and composed The Magic Flute.
Avoid repeating the subject with a comma splice.

2. a person, especially a young one, who shows an extraordinary level of natural ta

2.nounC1
Definition

a person, especially a young one, who shows an extraordinary level of natural talent or genius, used when comparing someone to the famous composer — for example, calling a gifted young pianist a Mozart of our time.

Example

At age seven, the girl was already called a Mozart by music critics across Europe.

countable use: a + Mozart

Rafael built a website at age ten and was called a modern-day Mozart of programming.

modern-day + Mozart

Common collocations
  • young Mozart
  • modern-day Mozart
  • a Mozart of [field]
Synonyms
  • prodigy

    more general and neutral; does not carry the cultural reference to classical music

  • genius

    broader in scope; can apply to adults in any field and does not imply youth

  • whiz kid

    informal, especially for technical or academic talent; less formal than Mozart metaphor

Grammar Patterns

a + Mozart

modern-day + Mozart

Usage Note

This figurative use draws on Mozart's identity as a famous child prodigy. It is most natural with a modifier (a young Mozart, a modern-day Mozart) and in informal or journalistic writing. The phrase Mozart effect, by contrast, refers to a different concept: the disputed idea that listening to Mozart's music improves brain function.

Word family

  • Mozartean
    adjectiveC2
  • Mozartian
    adjectiveC2

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Mozart symphony
  • Mozart concerto
  • Mozart opera
  • Mozart sonata
  • Mozart effect

Phrases

  • Mozart of [field]
  • modern-day Mozart
  • young Mozart

Prepositions

  • of (a Mozart of painting)
  • by (a symphony by Mozart)

Etymology

GermanEnglish

The surname Mozart comes from the German-speaking region of central Europe, first recorded in the 1300s. The name is a variant of the German word 'motz' meaning 'mud' or 'bog', originally used for someone who lived near marshy ground. Today the name is universally associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), whose fame has made the word a symbol of musical genius.