Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1900-2000
Origin: Because they were originally sponsored by soap-making companies

soap opera

 noun
     
Related topics: Television and Radio
soap opera [countable]
AMT a television or radio story about the daily lives and relationships of the same group of people, which is broadcast regularly
WORD FOCUS: television WORD FOCUS: television
similar words: TV, telly BrE informal, the box BrE informal, the tube AmE informal
programmes on television: the news, soap opera, sitcom, drama series, detective series, documentary, docusoap, game show, talk show also chat show British English, made-for-TV movie, cartoon, reality TV, infomercial
a TV programme shown on the Internet: webcast
a company that broadcasts programmes: channel, station
types of television broadcasts: terrestrial British English, cable, satellite, digital, pay-per-viewtelevision

➔ See also television
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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