Gil‧bert and Sul‧li‧van /ˌɡɪlbət ənd ˈsʌləvən $ -bərt-/
two British men, W.S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who wrote many humorous operettas (=plays with songs) from 1871 to 1896. Gilbert wrote the words and Sullivan wrote the music. Their operettas, which include TheMikado (1885) and ThePirates of Penzance (1879), made fun of politicians and other well-known people of the time, and they are often performed now by people who are not professional singers or actors.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲