choreography

noun

cho·​re·​og·​ra·​phy ˌkȯr-ē-ˈä-grə-fē 

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 diplomacy

—Wolfgang Saxon

choreographic

ˌkȯr-ē-ə-ˈgra-fik 

adjective

choreographically

ˌkȯr-ē-ə-ˈgra-fi-k(ə-)lē 

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

There is a fresher production hinted at in the ecstatic array of costumes and mix of choreography. —Maya Phillips, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024

The standoff features an impressive bit of fight choreography on Sawai's part. —Ashley Boucher, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024

The infectious choreography is set to the very end of GloRilla’s guest verse and the entirety of her hook. —Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024

Minaj's eight dancers delivered some of the most demanding choreography staged in a Milwaukee arena in recent years, but the eye-popping spectacle didn't stop there. —Journal Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2024

As Earth's constant companion traverses through its shadowy journey, lunar eclipses offer a display of cosmic choreography. —The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024

The result was a pageant of fight choreography, wooden romance and hypermasculine hokum that soon entered the annals of so-bad-it’s-good camp classics. —Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024

Pink's choreography even includes a few moments of forceful stage combat. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024

The three collaborators then connected this programmatic choreography to video game NPCs (non-playable characters) and to midcentury Broadway – where social malaise became spectacle. —Ben Croll, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

choreography

noun

cho·​re·​og·​ra·​phy ˌkōr-ē-ˈäg-rə-fē 

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