chorus

Where does the word "chorus" come from? It comes from Greek khoros, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Chorus’s story begins in Greek: khoros meant “a group dance or song.” A group of singers and dancers performing in a Greek drama. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as chorus. Adopted for the same group performance in Roman theater. It reached English by 1500s as chorus. Settled as the word for a group of singers or a song's refrain. Today, chorus means a group of singers, or the repeated refrain of a song.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient khoros "a group dance or song", a group of singers and dancers performing in a Greek drama.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient chorus "a group of singers", adopted for the same group performance in Roman theater.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s chorus "a group of singers, or a song's refrain", settled as the word for a group of singers or a song's refrain.