concourse

American  

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

noun

• concourses
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• concourses
  plural

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

See Examples For:

concourse concourses

But the Aerotrain designers did not see fit to extend the line to concourse D, in part because both C and D were built in the ’80s as temporary concourses meant to be replaced.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

In that case, you will likely find yourself traveling to or from the concourse on a wretched holdover of mid-century transportation design: the people mover.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

Despite taking shelter in the concourse for the whole of the delay, most supporters looked as though they stayed with the stadium appearing full again upon the restart.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

Standing on the concourse, Amir Guerami proudly had it tied around his neck and draped over his back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

He paced the concourse, looking for the cousin he’d grown up with, a sharp-nosed girl with the grinning mouth of a comedy mask.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

New concourses, expanded corridors and improved passenger facilities have reshaped the transit hub, which serves hundreds of thousands of commuters and travelers each day and remains the busiest rail station in the United States.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

The approximately 70,000 spectators, many already in ponchos and rain coats, filed out and, in little more than 15 minutes, the concourses of "the Linc" resembled a huge train station on a holiday travel day.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

They had to demolish one of the Long Island Rail Road’s concourses in the process, but JPMorgan agreed to build a new one for the commuter rail system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025

The Sapphire Reserve and Platinum are the most famous players in the bougie—but not that bougie—market for credit cards that appeal to frequent travelers who are sick of airport concourses.

From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2025

Instead, he wanders through pathways and concourses and walks in loops around the courtyard with Marco in tow, who is taking notes whenever Chandresh finds something to comment upon.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• foyer
• lounge