5 syllables: Cho, re, og, ra, pher. Stress on og.
kaw-ree-AH-gruh-fur
/ˌkɔɹiˈɑɡɹəfɚ/
Choreographer is pronounced kaw-ree-AH-gruh-fur (/ˌkɔɹiˈɑɡɹəfɚ/). It has five syllables (Cho-re-og-ra-pher), with the stress on "og". A choreographer is a person who designs and instructs the movements and staging of dances or performances. They plan sequences, choreograph routines, and guide performers to achieve coordinated, expressive results. The term often implies artistic vision, technical planning, and leadership in a dance or theater production.
nounA choreographer is a person who designs and instructs the movements and staging of dances or performances. They plan sequences, choreograph routines, and guide performers to achieve coordinated, expressive results. The term often implies artistic vision, technical planning, and leadership in a dance or theater production.
How to Pronounce Choreographer
"The choreographer mapped out a complex dance sequence for the ensemble."
"She works as a choreographer for a contemporary dance company."
"After years of training, he transitioned into choreography and stage direction."
Emphasis lands on the third syllable: cho-re-OG-rapher. IPA US: /ˌkɔːr.iˈɒɡ.rə.fə/ ; UK: /ˌkɒr.iˈɒɡ.rə.fə/; AU: /ˌkɔː.riˈɒɡ.rə.fə/. Start with ‘cho’ as in choir, then ‘re’ as in red but unstressed, ‘og’ as in dog, and end with ‘ra-fə’ with a light, schwa ending. Keep the final syllable light and relaxed.
Two frequent errors: (1) Putting primary stress on the first syllable: CHO-re-og-rapher instead of the correct third-syllable stress. (2) Mushing the middle ‘og’ into a short ‘og’ vowel or mispronouncing the final -pher as ‘fer’ or ‘far’. Correction: stress the -og- syllable, pronounce the final -pher as /fə/ (schwa) and keep the last syllable light. Listen to natural rhythm and slow down on the transition from /ɡ/ to /rə/.
In US and UK, the main stress is on the -og- syllable (cho-re-OG-rə-fər/fə). US tends to a slightly darker /ɔɹ/ in the first syllable, UK favors a shorter /ɒ/ in the same position; AU mirrors UK but may have a slightly flatter vowel in some speakers. The final /fə/ is generally unstressed in all, with a softer /ə/ in many US pronunciations. The r-colouring in US is stronger; UK and AU are more non-rhotic, reducing post-vocalic r before vowels.
It blends a long, stressed mid segment (-OG-) with a cluster transition to a final schwa (-ə). The timing of syllables requires maintaining a tripartite rhythm: cho-re-OG-ra-pher. The 'og' needs a clear but not overemphasized vowel, and the ending /rəfə/ can drift if you rush. Practicing with minimal pairs helps solidify the accurate vowel qualities and stress pattern.
No letter is truly silent in standard careful speech. The final -pher yields /fə/ with a soft, unstressed schwa; the -ph- digraph is pronounced as /f/; not /p/ or /v/. The tricky parts are the three central consonants linking smoothly: /ˈɡ/ after the -o- and the /ɹ/ before the final -ə. You’ll hear a light, flowing transition rather than a hard break.
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US: more rhotic, with clearer rhotic vowel colouring; UK: non-rhotic, shorter /ɒ/ in -or-, more clipped -ɡrə-; AU: mix of both, often less rolled r and a slightly broader vowel in some speakers. Vowel detail: the first syllable /kɔː/ or /kɒ/ depends on dialect; the -og- is /ɒɡ/ in UK, /ɔːɡ/ in many US accents; the final -ə/ -ɚ may be realized as a schwa or as a light 'uh'. Practice US /ˌkɔɹ.iˈɒɡ.rə.fɚ/ vs UK /ˌkɒˈɡɹɒː.fə/? but keep close to standard: US /ˌkɔɹ.iˈɒɡ.rə.fɚ/, UK /ˌkɒr.iˈɒɡ.rə.fə/, AU /ˌkɒr.iˈɒɡ.rə.fə/. Focus on rhoticity in US, non-rhoticity in UK/AU and subtle vowel shifts.
Choreographer comes from the French choreographe, from Greek khoreia (dance) and graphein (to write). The root khoreia refers to a dance chorus or dancing group; graphein yields the sense of writing or recording. The word entered English via mid-17th century theatrical usage, initially describing someone who composes or writes dance steps for a performance. Its sense broadened in the 19th and 20th centuries as stage art expanded beyond simple steps to full-scale movement and staging in ballet, modern dance, and musical theater. First known usages appear in dance treatises and theatre accounts that credit individuals with authoring the choreographic structure of ballets and court entertainments. Over time, the term evolved to emphasize creative leadership and the specific craft of designing movement for a scripted production, rather than merely performing steps. Today, a choreographer is typically a senior creative role responsible for conceiving the entire movement language of a show, from counts and transitions to large-scale group formations and stylistic choices. The word remains closely tied to the art of writing movement rather than music alone, reflecting its etymological heritage in “writing” choreography for performance.
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Words that rhyme with "Choreographer"
-tor sounds
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