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chorus

chor·us/ˈkoɹəs/noun, verb

chorus is spelled C-H-O-R-U-S: 6 letters and 2 syllables (chor·us). It appears 7.9 times per million words in written English, the 8,266th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, chorus means “A group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of chorus is choruses; Wiktionary also lists chorusses (obsolete), chori (rare).

How many letters and syllables are in chorus?

Letters6: C-H-O-R-U-S
Syllables2: chor·us
In writing7.9 times per million words; the 8,266th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is chorus?

Chorus appears 7.9 times per million words in written English, the 8,266th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce chorus?

  • UK /ˈkɔːɹəs/
  • US /ˈkoɹəs/
  • Australia /ˈkoːɹəs/

Chorus has 2 syllables, split chor·us in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-chorus.wav, En-us-chorus.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of chorus

  • choruses plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • chori plural, rare
  • chorusses present, rare, singular, he/she/it
  • chorusing participle, present
  • chorussing participle, present, rare
  • chorused participle, past
  • chorussed participle, past, rare

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does chorus mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    A group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song.

  2. 2

    A song performed by the singers of such a group.

  3. 3

    UKAn 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. 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.

    The performance of the chorus was awe-inspiring and exhilarating.

  5. 5

    A group of people in a performance who recite together.

  6. 6

    An instance of singing by a group of people.

  7. 7

    A group of angels, or of types of angels like seraphim.

  8. 8

    A group of people, animals, or inanimate objects who make sounds together.

    a chorus of crickets    a chorus of whiners

verb

  1. 1

    To sing (a song), express (a sentiment), or recite or say (words) in chorus.

  2. 2

    To express concurrence with (something said by another person); to echo.

  3. 3

    rareTo provide (a song) with a chorus or refrain.

  4. 4

    To sing the chorus or refrain of a song.

  5. 5

    To sing, express, or say in, or as if in, unison.

  6. 6

    To echo in unison another person's words.

  7. 7

    Of animals: to make cries or sounds together.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Chorus in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchchœur antique, chœur ((Ancient Greece, historical) group of singers…), chorale (group of people in a performance who recite…), refrain (part of a song repeated between verses – see…)
GermanChor ((Ancient Greece, historical) group of singers…), Refrain, Kehrreim (part of a song repeated between verses – see…), Chorus (feature or setting in electronic music that…)
Portuguesecoro ((Ancient Greece, historical) group of singers…), refrão (part of a song repeated between verses – see…)
Spanishcoro ((Ancient Greece, historical) group of singers…), estribillo, contera (part of a song repeated between verses – see…), corear (to sing the chorus or refrain of a song)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does chorus come from?

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.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after chorus