Encore is a noun meaning a demand for a repeat performance from an audience, or a gratifying repetition of praise or applause. It also refers to a performance given in response to such a request. In common usage, it denotes a repeated or additional performance, typically after the main show, and can extend to colloquial requests for more of something appreciated.
"The band returned for an encore after their encore-worthy set."
"The audience shouted for an encore, signaling they wanted more music."
"During the festival, the crowd cheered for an encore after the finale."
"The actor bowed again, calling for an encore from the smiling audience."
Encore derives from the French phrase encore, meaning again, a request for repetition. The word entered English in the late 18th to early 19th century through concert-going culture, where audiences would shout encore to demand another performance. Its usage evolved from a literal call for a second act to a broader sense of anything repeated or added after the main event. In French, encore originally functions as an adverb meaning again or still, and in English it has retained a musical connotation—an extra number after the main program—while expanding into metaphorical uses like an “encore” of praise or another round of benefits. The pronunciation has adapted to English stress patterns, but the French root remains a marker of a request for repetition rather than a standalone act. First known English usages appear in concert and theater contexts in the 1800s, aligning with the rise of organized public performances and audience participation cultures that shaped modern performance etiquette.
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Words that rhyme with "Encore"
-ore sounds
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US/UK/AU IPA: ˈɒnˌkɔːr. Start with a stressed first syllable sounding like ‘on’ with an open front/back vowel, followed by a secondary-stressed ‘core’ that rhymes with ‘more’ or ‘store’ but with a rounded back vowel. The r is non-rhotic in UK English, so it sounds like 'on-KOR' without a strong final r; in US and AU, you’ll hear a clear rhotic r at the end. Mouth: lip rounding on the second syllable, a relaxed jaw, and a crisp stop after the first syllable.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress by treating it as on-NOR instead of ON-core; ensure primary stress on the first syllable. 2) Merging the two syllables too quickly, producing EN-KOR with weak separation. 3) Pronouncing the final r strongly in non-rhotic accents. Corrections: emphasize the first syllable with a sharper /ˈɒn/ and keep the second syllable light but clear, letting the /kɔːr/ stand as a distinct unit, especially keeping the rhotic /ɹ/ present in rhotic accents.
In American English, you get a strong rhotic final /ɹ/, sounding EN-kor with a clear r. In UK English, /ˈɒnˌkɔː/ ends without a pronounced r; the second syllable uses a long back rounded vowel like /ɔː/. Australian English resembles British in the UK form but with a more centralized vowel quality and subtle Australian vowel shifts; the final /ɹ/ may be weaker or non-rhotic depending on speaker. Overall: stress on EN, vowel quality on /ɒ/ and /ɔː/, rhoticity varies.
The difficulty stems from French-derived vowel sequences and the final /ɔːr/ blend, which can be unfamiliar if your native language has different vowel inventories. The /ɒ/ in EN- is open and contrasts with the rounded /ɔː/ in second syllable; the /r/ is tricky in non-rhotic accents. Also, the two-syllable rhythm with secondary stress on the second syllable can trip speakers who aren’t accustomed to French borrowings with final consonants. Focus on separating syllables and maintaining clear /ɔː/ and /ɹ/ where applicable.
A useful nuance is keeping a light secondary stress on the second syllable in many speakers, but not overpowering the first syllable. In careful speech, you can vocalize the second syllable with an elongated /ɔː/ before the final /ɹ/ in rhotic accents, whereas non-rhotic speakers may drop the final /ɹ/ and lengthen the preceding vowel slightly. This subtle timing helps the word glide naturally in phrases like “an encore performance”.
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