chorus

Meaning

Noun

1. (historical) A group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song.
2. (historical) A song performed by the singers of such a group.
3. (British, broadly, historical) An actor who reads the prologue and epilogue of a play, and sometimes also acts as a commentator or narrator; also, a portion of a play read by this actor.
4. A group of singers performing together; a choir; specifically, such a group singing together in a musical, an opera, etc., as distinct from the soloists; an ensemble.
5. (broadly) A group of people in a performance who recite together.
6. An instance of singing by a group of people.
7. (figuratively) A group of people, animals, or inanimate objects who make sounds together.
8. (figuratively) The noise or sound made by such a group.
9. (figuratively) A group of people who express a unanimous opinion.
10. (figuratively) The opinion expressed by such a group.
11. A piece of music, especially one in a larger work such as an opera, written to be sung by a choir in parts (for example, by sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses).
12. A part of a song which is repeated between verses to emphasize the song's content; a refrain.
13. The main part of a pop song played after the introduction.
14. A group of organ pipes or organ stops intended to be played simultaneously; a compound stop; also, the sound made by such pipes or stops.
15. (attributive, often) A feature or setting in electronic music that makes one instrument sound like many.
16. A simple, often repetitive, song intended to be sung in a group during informal worship.
17. The improvised solo section in a small group performance.

Verb

1. (transitive) To sing (a song), express (a sentiment), or recite or say (words) in chorus.
2. (transitive) To express concurrence with (something said by another person); to echo.
3. (rare, transitive) To provide (a song) with a chorus or refrain.
4. (intransitive) To sing the chorus or refrain of a song.
5. (intransitive) To sing, express, or say in, or as if in, unison.
6. (intransitive) To echo in unison another person's words.
7. (intransitive) Of animals: to make cries or sounds together.

Synonyms

choir

refrain

chorus line

Greek chorus

coir

burden

ensemble

melody

second

2nd

shindig

simultaneous

singer

🧑‍🎤

tag

theme

unison

corps de ballet

sing in chorus

singing in a chorus

dancing

minor chorus

choristers

corps-de-ballet

part

angelic choir

band

choral

chorale

cotillion

dance

💃

Translations

Chor

chœur

coro

coro

coro

koor

chorale

Refrain

refrein

refrain

χορός

cor

❤️

ritornello

estribillo

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkɔːɹəs/

Etymology

The noun is borrowed from Medieval Latin chorus (“church choir”), Latin chorus (“group of dancers and singers; dance”), from Ancient Greek χορός (khorós, “group of dancers and singers, choir, chorus; dance accompanied by song; round dance”); further etymology uncertain, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer- (“to encircle, enclose”) or *ǵʰoros. Doublet of choir, chore, and hora.
The plural form chori is from Latin chorī, from Ancient Greek χοροί (khoroí).
The verb is derived from the noun.