Chorus Meaning
/ˈkɔːɹəs/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song.
nounA song performed by the singers of such a group.
Sentence Examples
We sang songs in chorus.
The party ended up with a chorus.
We tried hard to get first prize in the chorus contest.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The entire ____ sang the refrain with such power that the audience leaped to its feet.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Everyone joined in to sing the ____ of the popular song tonight town.
Word Origin & History
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”); The verb is derived from the noun. Doublet of choir, chore, and hora.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[W]ee would that the voice and dialect of the propheteſſe Pythia, reſembling the ſpeech of a Chorus in a tragedie from a ſcaffold, ſhould pronounce her anſwers not in ſimple, plaine, and triviall termes, without any grace to ſet them out, but with Poeticall magnificence of high and ſtately verſes, diſguiſed as it were with metaphors and figurative phraſes, yea, and that which more is, with ſound of flute and hautboies: […]"
— 1603, Plutarch, “Why the Prophetesse Pythia Giveth No Answers Now from the Oracle in Verse or Meeter”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, page 1199:
"And the Apocalyps of Saint Iohn is the majeſtick image of a high and ſtately Tragedy, ſhutting up and intermingling her ſolemn Scenes and Acts with a ſevenfold Chorus of halleluja's and harping ſymphonies: […]"
— 1642 (indicated as 1641), John Milton, The Reason of Church-governement Urg’d against Prelaty […], London: […] E[dward] G[riffin] for Iohn Rothwell, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 39:
"Enter Chorus. / Cut is the branch that might haue growne ful ſtraight, / And burned is Apolloes Laurel bough, / That ſometime grew within this learned man: […]"
— 1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature [F3], recto:
"Ya're as good as a Chorus my lord."
— c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
"Palinode. / Amo[rphus]. From ſpaniſh ſhrugs, french faces, ſmirks, irps, and all affected humours: / Chorvs. Good Mercvry defend vs."
— 1600 (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Cynthias Reuels, or The Fountayne of Selfe-Loue. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act V, scene xi, page 267:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The entire ____ sang the refrain with such power that the audience leaped to its feet.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Everyone joined in to sing the ____ of the popular song tonight town.