What does encore mean?
Encore refers to an additional or repeated performance given by entertainers at the end of a show, usually prompted by enthusiastic audience applause or chants of "Encore!" Most familiar in the context of concerts, where musicians play one or more extra songs beyond the advertised setlist, the term also applies more loosely to any repeat or bonus rendition of something previously enjoyed. It functions chiefly as a noun — as in "the crowd demanded an encore" — but also appears as a verb, meaning to give such an additional performance. The word entered English from French, where it simply means "again," reflecting its origin as the cry audiences used to request another turn on stage. Carrying warm connotations of success and appreciation, encore is inherently tied to positive reception: one does not get an encore for a poorly received act. It remains a vivid, widely understood word in discussions of live performance and popular acclaim.
An additional or repeated performance demanded by an audience after a show, or the additional piece itself.
"Her final encore brought the audience to its feet once again."
Pluralized as "encores" when referring to multiple additional pieces.
To perform an additional piece or repeat part of a performance in response to audience demand.
"The singer encored with a stripped-down ballad that wasn't on the printed setlist."
Standard plural, used when referring to more than one additional piece performed at one or more events.
"Over the course of the tour, the band played more than thirty encores."
When audiences shout "Encore!", they're speaking French without realizing it — literally asking the performer to do it "again."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of encore
Encore comes directly from the French word encore meaning "still" or "again," which itself derives from a Vulgar Latin phrase reconstructed as *hinc ad horam, meaning roughly "up to this hour" or "until now." English adopted the word in the seventeenth century, initially retaining its French sense of "again" before narrowing to the theatrical and musical usage familiar today. The Latin element horam relates to English "hour," making that word a distant relative.
How encore is actually used
Register is broadly neutral — common in both casual conversation and music journalism. As an interjection, "Encore!" is shouted by audiences in English exactly as in French. The verb form is less common than the noun but well established in concert reviews.
Easily confused with encore
"Oncore" is not a standard English word; "encore" is the correct spelling for the repeated-performance sense and is often confused with it due to identical pronunciation.