choragus

[ kuh-rey-guhs, koh-, kaw- ]

noun,plural cho·ra·gi [kuh-rey-jahy, koh-, kaw-], /kəˈreɪ dʒaɪ, koʊ-, kɔ-/, cho·ra·gus·es.
  1. (in ancient Greece)

    • the leader of a dramatic chorus.

    • a person who undertook the expense of providing for such a chorus.

  2. any conductor of an entertainment or festival.

Origin of choragus

1
1620–30; <Latin <Greek chorāgós, dialectal variant of chorēgós, equivalent to chor(ós) chorus + -ēgos, combining form of ágein to lead

Other words from choragus

  • cho·rag·ic [kuh-raj-ik, -rey-jik], /kəˈrædʒ ɪk, -ˈreɪ dʒɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby choragus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use choragus in a sentence

  • Thus, on one occasion, Themistocles was the choragus to a tragedy by Phrynichus.

  • The addresses of the choragus are all written by the Geistlicher Rath Daisenberger.

    Glimpses of Three Coasts | Helen Hunt Jackson
  • It consists of eighteen singers, with a leader styled the choragus.

    Glimpses of Three Coasts | Helen Hunt Jackson
  • Perhaps you will accommodate me, my handsome young captain, choragus of this new school of the prophets?'

    Hypatia | Charles Kingsley
  • Then he puts one choragus—or leader of chorus, supporting the main action—on each side.

    Mornings in Florence | John Ruskin

British Dictionary definitions for choragus

choragus

/ (kɔːˈreɪɡəs) /


nounplural -gi (-dʒaɪ) or -guses
  1. (in ancient Greek drama)

    • the leader of a chorus

    • a sponsor of a chorus

  2. a conductor of a festival

Origin of choragus

1
C17: from Latin, from Greek khoragos, from khoros chorus + agein to lead

Derived forms of choragus

  • choragic (kɔːˈrædʒɪk, -ˈreɪ-), adjective

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