in music, the part between soprano and contralto, 1753; see mezzo + soprano.
Entries linking to mezzo-soprano
mezzo adj.
"half, moderate," Italian mezzo, literally "middle," from Latin medius (from PIE root *medhyo- "middle"). Used in combinations such as mezzo-soprano (music, 1753); mezzo-rilievo (scuplture, 1590s); mezzotint (engraving, 1738).
soprano n.
"the highest (female) singing voice," ranging easily through the two octaves above middle C, 1730, from Italian soprano "the treble in music," literally "high," from sopra "above," from Latin supra, fem. ablative singular of super "above, over" (see super-). Compare sovereign (adj.).
The meaning "a singer having a soprano voice" is from 1738. As an adjective also from 1730. Related: Sopranist. The Italian plural is soprani. Soprano saxophone is attested from 1859.