Ensemble
nounA group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.
How to spell ensemble
8 letters · 3 syllables
How to pronounce ensemble
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does ensemble mean?
- nounA group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.
- nounA set of clothes designed and worn together to create a coordinated look.
Ensemble in a sentence
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The chamber ensemble rehearsed for three hours before the concert.
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She paired the scarf and gloves to complete the winter ensemble.
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She joined a jazz ensemble at the local music school.
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His grey suit and matching tie made a sharp ensemble.
Where does ensemble come from?
Language of origin: French
Ensemble came into English directly from French in the mid 1700s, where it functioned as an adverb meaning 'together'. The French word descends from the Latin insimul, a compound of in 'in' and simul 'at the same time' or 'together'; that same simul root underlies English words like 'simultaneous' and 'assemble'. English speakers first borrowed it to describe the harmonious overall effect of parts working together, especially in music and theatre, and only later applied it to a coordinated set of garments. Because the word keeps its French shape, the silent final -e and the unexpected -semble spelling are preserved rather than anglicised, which is exactly where writers stumble. Remembering its kin 'assemble', a group assembled to perform together, helps fix both the -semble core and the meaning.
How the word is built
- en- (in, from Latin in)
- semble (from Latin simul: together)
- silent French -e
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