repertoire

noun

rep·​er·​toire ˈre-pər-ˌtwär How to pronounce repertoire (audio)
ˈre-pə-
1
a
: a list or supply of dramas, operas, pieces, or parts that a company or person is prepared to perform
b
: a supply of skills, devices, or expedients
part of the repertoire of a quarterback
broadly : amount, supply
an endless repertoire of summer clothes
c
: a list or supply of capabilities
the instruction repertoire of a computer
2
a
: the complete list or supply of dramas, operas, or musical works available for performance
our modern orchestral repertoire
b
: the complete list or supply of skills, devices, or ingredients used in a particular field, occupation, or practice
the repertoire of literary criticism

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Add This Word History to Your Repertoire

The Late Latin noun repertorium, meaning "list," has given us two words that can be used to speak of the broad range of things that someone or something can do. One is repertory, perhaps most commonly known as a word for a company that presents several different plays, operas, or other works at one theater, or the theater where such works are performed. Repertoire, which comes from repertorium via French, once meant the same thing as repertory but later came to refer to the range of skills that a person has, such as the different pitches a baseball pitcher can throw or the particular dishes that are a chef's specialty.

Examples of repertoire in a Sentence

In later years, he sang in English and expanded his repertoire to include rhythm and blues, rock and even skiffle music. John Swenson, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 1993
Jackson is best known for a career that included radio and television concerts and a repertoire that leaned heavily upon songs such as "Amazing Grace" and "The Day is Past and Gone." Leslie Williams, (New Orleans) Times-Picayune, 12 May 1993
Like resident stock companies, they presented a number of plays in repertoire; the genre of the programs tended to vary, although there seemed to be a preference for popular melodramas … George Mann, Theatre Lethbridge, 1993
Grenadine … is bright red in color and has a sweet, fresh flavor. It is completely non-alcoholic, but plays an essential part in any good barman's repertoire. The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices, & Flavorings, 1992
The fiery orators taking their turn at the microphone wore work shirts and overalls. The college choir sang a repertoire of early Joan Baez. John Krich, Music in Every Room, 1984
The band's repertoire includes both classic and modern jazz. He has a limited repertoire when it comes to cooking.
Recent Examples on the Web As a couple, Lichtenberg and Marshall frequently perform and record together, drawing on an ever-expanding repertoire that makes for a fascinating musical Venn diagram. Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 Butt-grazing lengths are a mainstay in the star's hair repertoire. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 7 Mar. 2024 Set aside time once a week to research new recipes and add them to your repertoire. Christian Mysliwiec, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 Add this top-selling cast iron skillet to your repertoire to turn sad, pale meals into perfect seared, crispy, and piping hot masterpieces. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 The financing is geared towards the commercialization of its surgical system as well as more clinical trials to expand its repertoire of surgeries. Katie Jennings, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Get The Recipe 03 of 47 Pasta With Shrimp And Tomato Cream Sauce A taste of the coast is never too far off when this recipe is in your repertoire. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2024 In the meantime, make sure that your gear repertoire is up to par with the Deuter Speed Lite 25L Backpack that's 40 percent off. Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 The group’s repertoire consists mostly of songs that date back 200 to 400 years and which invoke the names of living peoples’ actual relatives and ancestors. Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repertoire.' 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 répertoire, from Late Latin repertorium — see repertory

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of repertoire was in 1819

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Dictionary Entries Near repertoire

Cite this Entry

“Repertoire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repertoire. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

repertoire

noun
rep·​er·​toire ˈrep-ə(r)-ˌtwär How to pronounce repertoire (audio)
1
: a list or supply of dramas, operas, pieces, or parts that a company or person is prepared to perform
2
: a supply of skills or devices possessed by a person
passing is part of the repertoire of a quarterback

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