choreography

noun

cho·​re·​og·​ra·​phy ˌkȯr-ē-ˈä-grə-fē How to pronounce choreography (audio)
plural choreographies
1
: the art of symbolically representing dancing
2
a
: the composition and arrangement of dances especially for ballet
b
: a composition created by this art
3
: something resembling choreography
a snail-paced choreography of delicate high diplomacyWolfgang Saxon
choreographic adjective
choreographically adverb

Did you know?

In ancient Greece, a choreia was a circular dance accompanied by a singing chorus. But the actual notating of dances by means of symbols didn't begin until the 17th or 18th century, when ballet developed into a complex art form in France. The choreographer of a major ballet, which might run to an hour or more, will always record his or her work in notation, though choreographing a five-minute segment for a TV talent show usually doesn't require any record at all.

Examples of choreography in a Sentence

He has an interest in choreography. a show with excellent choreography
Recent Examples on the Web The book is by Rick Elice and Bob Martin, with choreography by Joshua Bergasse, who choreographed the television series. Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2024 Scott had only a few weeks to practice the Skye Riley songs and choreography before shooting began. Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024 Witney’s choreography gave him the perfect space to express himself and tell his story through every movement. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024 This sense of dispersion, directly attributable to the casting and the direction, is only compounded by Takeshi Kata’s two-tiered, standard-issue industrial musical set Jennifer Weber’s jumpy choreography doesn’t enhance the storytelling picture. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for choreography 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'choreography.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French chorégraphie, from Greek choreia + French -graphie -graphy

First Known Use

circa 1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of choreography was circa 1789

Dictionary Entries Near choreography

Cite this Entry

“Choreography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choreography. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

choreography

noun
cho·​re·​og·​ra·​phy ˌkōr-ē-ˈäg-rə-fē How to pronounce choreography (audio)
ˌkȯr-
: the art of arranging dances especially for ballet
choreograph
ˈkōr-ē-ə-ˌgraf
ˈkȯr-
verb
choreographer
ˌkōr-ē-ˈäg-rə-fər
ˌkȯr-
noun
choreographic
-ē-ə-ˈgraf-ik
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on choreography

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