Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a musical composition of 3 or 4 movements of contrasting forms;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sonata \So*na"ta\, n. [It., fr. It. & L. sonare to sound. See
Sound a noise.] (Mus.)
An extended composition for one or two instruments,
consisting usually of three or four movements; as,
Beethoven's sonatas for the piano, for the violin and piano,
etc.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The same general structure prevails in symphonies,
instrumental trios, quartets, etc., and even in
classical concertos. The sonata form, distinctively,
characterizes the quick opening movement, which may
have a short, slow introduction; the second, or slow,
movement is either in the song or variation form; third
comes the playful minuet or the more modern scherzo;
then the quick finale in the rondo form. But both form
and order are sometimes exceptional.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
sonata
n 1: a musical composition of 3 or 4 movements of contrasting
forms
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):
Sonata
The code name for the major Mac OS
release due in mid-1999.
(http://devworld.apple.com/mkt/informed/appledirections/mar97/roadmap.html).
(1997-10-15)