English
choreography
Choreography comes from French chorégraphie, from Ancient Greek χορεία ‘dance’, and ultimately from χορός.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχορός‘dance, choir’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχορείαkhoreía‘dance’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchorégraphie
- Englishearliest quotation 2015choreography
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχορός‘dance, choir’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχορείαkhoreía‘dance’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchorégraphie
- Englishearliest quotation 2015choreography
Earliest quotation: 2015, Udo Merkel, Identity Discourses and Communities in International Events: “This style of support is highly ritualistic and is…”
Equivalent to choreo- + -graphy
Ancient Greek χορός ‘dance, choir’
Ancient Greek χορεία ‘dance, especially choral dance with music’
English choreo-
The story
Both choregraphy and choreography replaced earlier chorography in the dance sense (from χορός (khorós, “dance ring, round dance”) + -γραφία (-graphía); compare Greek χορογραφία (chorografía)), which had been used in 1710 as a translation of the same French term.
Linked words
through Ancient Greek χορός ‘dance, choir’
Today it means
noun The art of creating, arranging and recording the dance movements of a work, such as a ballet.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χορός / choreography