chorus
The main repeating part of a song with the catchiest words.
A chorus is the part of a song that repeats several times, usually with the same words and melody each time. It's often the catchiest, most memorable part: the section everyone sings along to at concerts or in the car. In many songs, verses tell a story or share different details, while the chorus delivers the main message or feeling. Think of “Happy Birthday”: the part where you sing “Happy birthday to you” is like a chorus, repeating four times with just the name changing.
The word also refers to a group of people singing together. A school chorus or church choir (a related word) performs songs as a team, with different vocal parts blending into harmony. Ancient Greek plays featured a chorus of performers who would comment on the action happening onstage, speaking and moving together.
In everyday speech, when people say something in chorus, they're all saying it at the same time, like when a whole class groans “Awww!” together after the teacher announces a pop quiz. The word captures that sense of voices joining as one, whether in song, speech, or a collective reaction.