English
chorus
Chorus comes from Medieval Latin chorus ‘church choir’, and goes back to Ancient Greek χορός.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχορόςkhorós‘group of dancers and singers, choir, chorus’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500chorus‘church choir’
- Englishearliest quotation 1589–1592chorus
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχορόςkhorós‘group of dancers and singers, choir, chorus’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500chorus‘church choir’
- Englishearliest quotation 1589–1592chorus
Earliest quotation: 1589–1592, Christopher Marlowe, The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […]: “Enter Chorus. / Cut is the branch that might…”
The story
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.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer- ‘to take, get’
girl, card, rocket, chart, cartoon, chronic, cartel, cartridge, carton, carte, crony, synchronous, cartography, synchronize, urchin, cron, germanium, cartouche, 33 more
through Ancient Greek χορός ‘group of dancers and singers, choir, chorus’
through Medieval Latin chorus ‘church choir’
Today it means
noun A group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χορός / chorus