opera glasses

[ op-er-uh glas-iz, glah-siz, op-ruh ]

/ ˈɒp ər ə ˌglæs ɪz, ˌglɑ sɪz, ˈɒp rə /

a small, low-power pair of binoculars for use at plays, concerts, and the like.

Often opera glass.

Origin of opera glasses

First recorded in 1730–40

Having an excellent view of the house, he could see the opera-glasses pointed at the aristocratic box par excellence.

A Distinguished Provincial at Paris |Honore de Balzac
Maria gave her the opera-glasses and she raised them to scan the house.

Olive in Italy |Moray Dalton
Young beauties of both sexes used their opera-glasses, you could notice, not entirely for looking at the stage.

The International Monthly Magazine, Volume 5, No. 1, January, 1852 |Various
After the crows came the bird-students, with opera-glasses and spying ways.

Upon The Tree-Tops |Olive Thorne Miller

I came back on purpose to show papa I wasn't going to be frightened into leaving my opera-glasses.

The Beckoning Hand and Other Stories |Grant Allen

opera glasses

small low-powered binoculars used by audiences in theatres and opera houses