repertoire: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal/neutral
Quick answer
What does “repertoire” mean?
The complete list or range of works, skills, or items that a person, company, or performer is prepared to present or is capable of doing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The complete list or range of works, skills, or items that a person, company, or performer is prepared to present or is capable of doing.
The entire stock or supply of techniques, devices, or items available for a particular purpose.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Similar connotations of cultivated skill and variety.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British English, particularly in formal and arts contexts, but widely used in both.
Grammar
How to Use “repertoire” in a Sentence
[Noun] + repertoire + of + [Noun Phrase (items/skills)]repertoire + [Prepositional Phrase (in/for)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the range of products, services, or skills a company offers (e.g., The firm expanded its repertoire of financial solutions).
Academic
Used in psychology, linguistics, and arts to denote a set of behaviours, linguistic features, or artistic works available to an individual or group (e.g., The child's communicative repertoire was assessed).
Everyday
Commonly used to talk about someone's known skills or a performer's set of songs/jokes (e.g, He has a whole repertoire of dad jokes).
Technical
In computing and theatre: the set of operations a computer can perform or the collection of plays a theatre company is prepared to stage.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “repertoire”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “repertoire”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “repertoire”
- Incorrect spelling: 'repertoir', 'repetoire'.
- Using it as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'He has many repertoires'). It is usually singular.
- Confusing it with 'repertory', which is a specific theatrical system or a stock of plays.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it's a loanword from French, ultimately from Late Latin 'repertorium' meaning 'inventory'.
Yes, it can refer to any collected set of items available for use, such as a product repertoire or a repertoire of genetic traits.
They are closely related. 'Repertoire' is the collection itself. 'Repertory' often refers to the system or practice of performing a repertoire, especially in theatre (repertory theatre), or can be a synonym for a storehouse.
The stress is on the first syllable: REP-er-twar. The final syllable rhymes with 'car' in both British and American English.
The complete list or range of works, skills, or items that a person, company, or performer is prepared to present or is capable of doing.
Repertoire is usually formal/neutral in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a REPertoire as the REPort of skills an artist REPeatedly performs.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER FOR SKILLS (e.g., 'draw from her repertoire').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'repertoire' LEAST appropriate?