# corps

/ˈkɔɹ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/corps
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. military branch or unit

noun · CEFR B2

a large branch of the military that does a specific job, or a group of two or more divisions.

For teachers: a specialized branch of the armed forces or a tactical unit consisting of two or more divisions. The 's' is silent in the singular form.

- He joined the Marine Corps right after finishing high school.
- The general commanded a corps consisting of three infantry divisions and an armored brigade during the spring offensive.

Usage: The singular and plural are spelled identically, but the singular is pronounced /kɔːr/ and the plural /kɔːrz/.

### 2. professional group

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a group of people who work together in a specific profession or for a common goal.

For teachers: an organized body of people associated by a common profession or purpose.

- The diplomatic corps attended the ceremony to represent their countries.
- The press corps waited outside the courthouse for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of the defendant after the verdict.

Usage: Often used in fixed phrases like 'diplomatic corps' or 'press corps'.

### 3. ballet group

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the group of dancers in a ballet company who dance together as a background for the main stars.

For teachers: the members of a ballet company who dance together as a group and do not perform as soloists.

- She started her career in the corps de ballet before becoming a lead dancer.
- The precision of the corps de ballet during the second act was praised by every critic in attendance.

Usage: Usually appears in the full French phrase 'corps de ballet'.

### 4. dead body

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

an old way of spelling 'corpse', meaning a dead body.

For teachers: an obsolete orthographic variant of 'corpse'.

- In the old story, the knight found a cold corps lying in the forest.
- The poet lamented over the lifeless corps of his fallen comrade, using the archaic spelling to evoke a sense of history.

## Examples

- He joined the marine corps after finishing school.
- The press corps waited outside the building for hours to get a statement from the president.
- The diplomatic corps serves as a vital link between nations, ensuring that communication remains open even during periods of significant political tension.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.