classical

/ˈklæsəkəl/

/ˈklæsɪkəl/

Has the building got columns in front of it? Check. Has the music got lots of strings and horns? Check. Chances are both are classical — representative of a past culture.

Often classical describes anything from ancient Greek or Roman culture, because, boy, those guys were good. Be careful when using classical and classic; they're not exactly the same. While something classical is usually a classic, it doesn't necessarily work the other way around. A classic is something exceptional that we tend to judge in a different time frame. A classic rock album? Definitely not made by the ancient Greeks or Romans. So far as we know.

Definitions of classical

1. adjective

   of or relating to the most highly developed stage of an earlier civilisation and its culture
   synonyms: classic

   Graeco-Roman, Greco-Roman, Hellenic, classic

   of or pertaining to or characteristic of the ancient Greek and Roman cultures

   neoclassic, neoclassical

   characteristic of a revival of an earlier classical style

   antonyms:

   nonclassical

   not classical

   modern

   characteristic of present-day art and music and literature and architecture

   pop, popular

   (of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially among young people)
2. adjective

   of or pertaining to or characteristic of the ancient Greek and Roman cultures
   “classical mythology”

   “classical”

   synonyms: Graeco-Roman, Greco-Roman, Hellenic, classic

   classic

   of or relating to the most highly developed stage of an earlier civilisation and its culture
3. adjective

   of or relating to the study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome
   “a classical scholar”
4. adjective

   (language) having the form used by ancient standard authors
   “classical Greek”

   synonyms:

   received, standard

   conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
5. adjective

   of recognized authority or excellence
   “classical methods of navigation”

   synonyms: authoritative, classic, definitive

   standard

   established or well-known or widely recognized as a model of authority or excellence
6. noun

   traditional genre of music conforming to an established form and appealing to critical interest and developed musical taste
   synonyms: classical music, serious music

   types:

   chamber music

   serious music performed by a small group of musicians

   opera

   a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes

   cantata, oratorio

   a musical composition for voices and orchestra based on a religious text

   concerto

   a composition for orchestra and a soloist

   fugue

   a musical form consisting of a theme repeated a fifth above or a fourth below its first statement

   rondeau, rondo

   a musical form that is often the last movement of a sonata

   sonata

   a musical composition of 3 or 4 movements of contrasting forms

   bouffe, comic opera, opera bouffe, opera comique

   opera with a happy ending and in which some of the text is spoken

   grand opera

   opera in which all the text is sung

   musical drama

   opera in which the musical and dramatic elements are equally important; the music is appropriate to the action

   concerto grosso

   a baroque composition for orchestra and a group of solo instruments

   piano sonata

   a sonata for piano

   sonatina

   a short and simple sonata

   symphonic music, symphony

   a long and complex sonata for symphony orchestra

   type of:

   genre, music genre, musical genre, musical style

   an expressive style of music