Word
repertory
Phoneticsreper·to·ry
US/ˈɹɛpɝˌtɔɹi/
UK/ɹˈɛpətəɹˌi/
Definitions
01theatre system
n. a type of theatre where a permanent group of actors performs several different plays in the same season.
n. a system of play production in which a resident acting company performs a series of plays in rotation or at short intervals.
“She spent her first year as an actress working in a small repertory theatre in the countryside.”
“The company operates on a repertory basis, allowing the ensemble to maintain several distinct productions simultaneously throughout the winter season.”
Formal
Usage
Often shortened to 'rep' in informal theatrical contexts.
Synonyms
02a collection of works
n. the complete list of plays, songs, or pieces that a person or group is prepared to perform.
n. the entire body of works that a company or individual performer is prepared to present.
“The pianist has a vast repertory of classical and modern pieces.”
“The orchestra expanded its repertory to include contemporary avant-garde compositions alongside the standard Romantic symphonies.”
Formal
Teaching tip
While 'repertory' is correct, 'repertoire' is much more common in modern English when referring to a musician's list of songs.
Synonyms
03classic cinema
n. a cinema that shows older, classic, or artistic films rather than new releases.
n. a cinema house that specialises in the screening of classic, independent, or historically significant films.
“The local repertory cinema is showing a marathon of old black-and-white movies this weekend.”
“The city's last remaining repertory cinema faces closure as streaming services reduce the demand for theatrical screenings of cult classics.”
Formal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Yet no other opera house besides Wagner’s has such a dependably loyal audience or such a restricted repertory – just 10 of his mature operas.” “The French period-performance outfit acclaimed for its fresh, fiercely creative interpretations of centuries-old repertory returns to London in its 20th anniversary year.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Late Latin repertōrium. Doublet of repertoire.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/repertory