encore
/ˈɒŋkɔːr/
adverb/interjection
Origin
Latin
in hanc horam — at this hour / until this hour
Overview
Meaning Now
- A demand for the repetition or additional performance of a piece of music or show, made by an audience.
- An additional performance given by an artist after the main part of a program has ended, in response to such a demand.
Literal older meaning
still, again
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle French → English
Earliest form
encore
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The term was borrowed into English from French in the early 1700s. Interestingly, while English speakers use 'encore' to demand a repeat performance, French speakers historically used the phrase 'bis!' (meaning 'twice') for the same purpose, though 'encore' is widely understood in French as 'again'.
Evolution
- Latin
in hanc horam
“at this hour”
The basis for the later Romance developments.
- Old French
encore
“still, again”
- English
encore
“a demand for repetition”
Borrowed into English in the early 18th century as a theatrical term.
Connections
Word parts
en-
prefix
in
core
root
hour
Related across languages
French
again, still
Italian
ancora
still, yet
Related words
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Related to encore
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.