concourse

American  

[kon-kawrs, -kohrs, kong-] / ˈkɒn kɔrs, -koʊrs, ˈkɒŋ- /

noun

1. an assemblage; gathering.

   a concourse of people.

2. a driveway or promenade, especially in a park.

3. a boulevard or other broad thoroughfare.

4. a large open space for accommodating crowds, as in a railroad station.

5. an area or grounds for racing, athletic sports, etc.

6. an act or instance of running or coming together; confluence.

   a concourse of events.

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concourse British  

/ ˈkɒŋ-, ˈkɒnkɔːs /

noun

1. a crowd; throng

2. a coming together; confluence

   a concourse of events

3. a large open space for the gathering of people in a public place

4. a ground for sports, racing, athletics, etc

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Etymology

Origin of concourse

1350–1400; Middle English concours < Middle French; replacing Middle English concurs < Latin concursus assembly, verbal noun corresponding to concurrere to assemble, collide. See concur, course

Explanation

The wide, open area that's either inside or in front of a building is called a concourse. A concourse is often located where many paths or hallways meet. Many kinds of buildings have a concourse, including train stations, airports, hotels, and shopping malls. Concourses are large enough for many people to congregate there — and this crowd or gathering of people can also be called a concourse. A movie star visiting a small city might find himself surrounded by a huge concourse of fans asking for autographs. The Latin root is concursus, "a running together," and the word's original sense was "the flowing of a crowd of people."

Example Sentences

Hollie Page, a cardiac physiologist at Bart's Hospital, happened to pass him as he lay on the concourse of Liverpool Street station.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

In the 10 minutes I spent along the concourse before Tuesday’s game, I counted fans wearing the jerseys of many national teams and 17 MLB teams, plus the late and greatly beloved Montreal Expos.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

At Houston’s Hobby Airport, travelers said they missed flights Sunday after waiting for more than three hours in long lines that snaked around the length of the concourse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

It drew large crowds to the concourse outside the theatre at each performance, while the ticket-buyers indoors watched the performance live-streamed on a large screen.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

When they got to the music concourse, the jazz was already in full swing.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Related Words

• foyer
• lounge