Repertoire and repertory are both correct words, but they are not used in exactly the same way. Use repertoire for a range of songs, works, skills, moves, or abilities that a person or group can perform or use. Use repertory mainly for a collection of works or for a theater company or system that presents several productions.
For example:
- The singer has a large repertoire of songs.
- The chef added several dishes to her repertoire.
- He joined a repertory company.
- The theater performs several plays in repertory.
The words do overlap in some artistic uses, so repertory is not a misspelling of repertoire.
This guide explains the correct spelling, meanings, difference, pronunciation, origin, word history, theater use, skill use, and common mistakes.
Repertoire or Repertory at a Glance
| Word | Simple Meaning | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Repertoire | A range of things someone knows or can do | Songs, skills, roles, moves, methods |
| Repertory | A collection of works, or a theater company or system | Theater, rotating productions, artistic collections |
Here is the easiest rule to remember:
Repertoire usually describes the range itself. Repertory often has a special link with theater.
What Does Repertoire Mean?
Repertoire is a noun. It means a collection or range of things that a person or group knows, performs, or can use.
Merriam-Webster includes both artistic works and wider uses such as skills, solutions, and abilities.
You might talk about:
- a singer’s repertoire of songs
- a pianist’s repertoire of music
- a chef’s repertoire of dishes
- an athlete’s repertoire of moves
- a teacher’s repertoire of methods
For example:
The guitarist added three jazz pieces to his repertoire.
The word tells us what the guitarist knows and can perform.
What Does Repertory Mean?
Repertory is also a noun.
It can mean a collection of works, much like repertoire. It can also mean a theater company that performs several plays or other works during a season, the theater where the company performs, or the practice of presenting works this way.
For example:
She spent several years acting in repertory.
Here, repertory refers to a type of theater work.
Merriam-Webster also records an older meaning of repertory as a place where something may be found, similar to repository.
What Is the Difference Between Repertoire and Repertory?
The main difference comes down to what you are describing.
Use repertoire when you mean the range of things someone can perform or do.
The actor has a wide repertoire of comic roles.
Use repertory when you mean a theater company or a system where several productions are presented.
The actor works in repertory.
The first sentence is about the actor’s range. The second is about the type of theater work.
This is the clearest practical difference between the two words.
Can Repertoire and Repertory Mean the Same Thing?
Yes.
The words can overlap when they refer to a collection of artistic works. Merriam-Webster lists repertoire as one meaning of repertory.
For example, both of these can make sense:
- the orchestra’s repertoire
- the orchestra’s repertory
Both refer to a body of music.
However, this does not mean you can swap the words everywhere.
You would normally say:
repertoire of skills
and:
repertory company
The context matters more than the spelling.
What Does “Repertoire of Skills” Mean?
A repertoire of skills is the range of skills a person has and can use.
For example:
Clear communication is part of her professional repertoire.
This means communication is one of the abilities she can use when needed.
A person’s repertoire might include:
- leadership
- writing
- teaching
- problem solving
- cooking
- sports techniques
Merriam-Webster directly includes skills and capabilities in the meaning of repertoire.
So, repertoire is not only a music or theater word.
What Does “My Repertoire” Mean?
If someone says “my repertoire,” they mean the things they know how to perform, use, or do.
The meaning changes with the person.
For a singer, it may mean:
the songs I can sing
For a chef:
the dishes I can cook
For an athlete:
the moves I can perform
For a worker:
the skills I can use
So, if someone says:
That is not in my repertoire.
They mean that it is not one of the things they normally know how to do.
Repertoire Meaning in Music
In music, repertoire means the songs or pieces that a singer, musician, band, orchestra, or other performer knows and can perform.
For example:
Classical music makes up most of her repertoire.
A repertoire does not mean everything a musician performs at one concert. It means the wider collection of music available to that performer.
Merriam-Webster lists songs, dances, plays, operas, and other works within this meaning.
Repertoire and Repertory in Theater
Theater gives us the clearest difference between the words.
A theater company’s repertoire is the collection of works it can perform.
A repertory company is a company that presents several works, often during the same season.
Compare:
The company’s repertoire includes five Shakespeare plays.
This sentence is about its collection.
She joined a repertory company.
This sentence tells us what kind of theater company it is.
What Does “In Repertory” Mean?
In repertory is a theater phrase.
It means that a company presents several different productions during the same period rather than performing only one show.
For example:
The company will perform three plays in repertory this summer.
The plays may appear on different days or rotate through the season.
This phrase describes the way the works are presented, not just the list of works.
What Is a Repertory Actor?
A repertory actor works in a theater system where the same company presents several productions.
The actor may play different roles during the same season.
For example, one actor might appear in a comedy one night and a tragedy later in the week.
This is different from an actor’s repertoire, which means the range of roles or skills the actor can perform.
What Does “Repertoire of Words” Mean?
A repertoire of words means the range of words someone knows or uses.
For example:
Reading helped her build a wider repertoire of words.
This is correct, but vocabulary often sounds simpler in everyday English.
You could write:
Reading helped her build a larger vocabulary.
Use repertoire when you want to stress the range of words available to someone.
What Does Repertoire Mean in Politics?
In politics, repertoire can describe a range of actions, methods, or tactics available to a person, group, or movement.
For example:
Peaceful marches became part of the group’s political repertoire.
Here, repertoire means the set of actions the group can use.
You may also see phrases such as:
- repertoire of tactics
- protest repertoire
- political repertoire
This use comes from the wider meaning of repertoire as a supply of methods or abilities.
How Do You Pronounce Repertoire?
Repertoire is pronounced roughly:
REP-er-twar
The last part sounds like twar.
Merriam-Webster gives the pronunciation as /ˈre-pər-ˌtwär/.
Its spelling may look strange because English borrowed the word through French.
How Do You Pronounce Repertory?
Repertory is pronounced roughly:
REP-er-tor-ee
Merriam-Webster gives a final sound close to tor-ee.
So:
| Word | Easy Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Repertoire | REP-er-twar |
| Repertory | REP-er-tor-ee |
The different endings make the two words easier to tell apart when spoken.
Where Does Repertoire Come From?
English borrowed repertoire from the French word répertoire.
The French word came from the Late Latin repertorium, which meant a list. Merriam-Webster records the first known English use of repertoire in 1819.
The French connection also explains the unusual ending and pronunciation.
English usually writes the word without the French accent:
repertoire
French writes:
répertoire
Where Does Repertory Come From?
Repertory comes from the same Latin word, repertorium.
That word connects with the idea of a list or something that can be found. Merriam-Webster records the first known English use of repertory in 1593.
This means repertory appeared in English much earlier than repertoire.
Their shared history explains why their meanings still overlap.
How Did the Meanings Change Over Time?
The two words began with closely related ideas.
Both grew from the idea of a list or collection.
Over time, English speakers used repertoire more widely for the works, skills, and abilities a person or group has available.
Repertory kept a strong link with theater, especially companies and systems that present several works. Merriam-Webster notes this split in their later use.
That history helps explain why both words can still mean a collection, even though their most common uses now feel different.
Repertoire or Repertory in Music?
Both words can appear in music.
Use repertoire when talking about the pieces a musician or group knows or performs.
The pianist has a large classical repertoire.
Repertory can also refer to a body of musical works, especially in more formal arts writing.
The conductor specializes in early orchestral repertory.
So, neither form is automatically wrong in music. However, repertoire is often the clearer choice when you mean a performer’s personal range.
Repertoire or Repertory for Skills?
Choose repertoire in most sentences about skills.
For example:
- a repertoire of teaching methods
- a repertoire of cooking skills
- a repertoire of football moves
- a repertoire of business strategies
This use sounds natural because repertoire can mean a supply of skills, solutions, and abilities.
You do not need a theater or music context to use repertoire correctly.
Real World Examples
Here are a few examples from different settings.
Music
The singer added several folk songs to her repertoire.
Work
Negotiation became part of his professional repertoire.
Sports
The player added a new shot to his repertoire.
Theater
She joined a repertory company after drama school.
These examples show the basic difference without needing a long list of rules.
Is It “In My Repertoire” or “On My Repertoire”?
Use in my repertoire, not on my repertoire, in normal English.
For example:
That song is already in my repertoire.
You can also use:
- part of my repertoire
- add to my repertoire
- include in my repertoire
For example:
I want to add more jazz pieces to my repertoire.
Common Spelling Mistakes
Repertoire often causes spelling problems because its ending does not sound the way many English speakers expect.
Common mistakes include:
- repetoire
- repertoir
- repetoir
- repatoire
The correct spelling is:
repertoire
The other correct word is:
repertory
Do not change repertory to repertoire automatically. Both are real words.
Common Usage Mistakes
1. Thinking repertory is a spelling error
It is not.
Repertory has its own meanings and has been used in English for centuries.
2. Writing “repertoire company”
When you mean the theater term, write:
repertory company
That is the standard phrase for a company that presents several productions.
3. Thinking repertoire only applies to music
Repertoire can also describe skills, methods, moves, dishes, solutions, and other abilities.
4. Assuming the two words never overlap
They do overlap when they mean a collection of artistic works.
The important point is to choose the word that sounds natural for the situation.
Repertoire vs Repository
Repertoire and repository may look similar, but they have different meanings.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Repertoire | A range of works, skills, or abilities |
| Repertory | A collection of works or a theater company or system |
| Repository | A place where things are stored |
For example:
The dancer has a wide repertoire.
The files are kept in an online repository.
Interestingly, repertory also has an older dictionary meaning of a place where something may be found.
In everyday writing, though, repository is the normal choice for a storage place.
Singular and Plural Forms
The plural of repertoire is:
repertoires
Example:
The two bands have very different repertoires.
The plural of repertory is:
repertories
Example:
The dance companies have different repertories.
Merriam-Webster lists repertories as the plural form of repertory.
Which Word Should You Use?
Use this quick guide:
| If You Mean… | Use |
|---|---|
| Songs a singer can perform | Repertoire |
| Skills a person has | Repertoire |
| Moves an athlete can use | Repertoire |
| Dishes a chef can make | Repertoire |
| A theater company that rotates productions | Repertory |
| Several plays presented in rotation | Repertory |
| A body of artistic works | Either may work, depending on context |
If you are talking about someone’s range of abilities, repertoire is usually the easiest choice.
If you are talking about a theater company or rotating productions, repertory is usually the word you need.
Easy Way to Remember the Difference
Try this simple memory trick:
Repertoire = range
A repertoire is your range of songs, skills, moves, roles, or methods.
For the other word, remember:
Repertory = theater
This is not a perfect rule for every artistic use, but it will help you choose correctly in most everyday sentences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is repertoire the correct spelling?
Yes. Repertoire is correct when you mean a range of songs, works, skills, or abilities.
Is repertory a real word?
Yes. Repertory is a standard English word. It can mean a collection of works and also has special theater meanings.
What is the simple meaning of repertoire?
Repertoire means the range of things someone knows, performs, or can use.
What does “my repertoire” mean?
It means the collection of things you know how to do or perform.
What does repertoire of skills mean?
It means the range of skills or methods a person can use.
Is repertoire only used for music?
No. It can describe skills, sports moves, cooking methods, business strategies, and many other abilities.
What is a repertory company?
A repertory company is a theater company that presents several different works, often during the same season.
What does acting in repertory mean?
It means working in a theater system where a company presents several productions during the same period.
Which word is older?
Repertory is older in English. Merriam-Webster records it from 1593, while repertoire appears from 1819.
Final Thoughts
When choosing between repertoire or repertory, remember that both words are correct.
Use repertoire for a range of songs, works, skills, moves, or abilities. Use repertory for theater terms such as repertory company and in repertory. The words can overlap when they refer to a collection of artistic works.
The simplest way to remember them is this: repertoire is your range, while repertory often points to theater.
If another pair of English words is causing confusion, explore our other word guides for a quick and clear answer.
