concert

The word “concert” means a live musical performance, usually in front of an audience. In plain terms, most often a live music performance; less commonly, to plan something jointly with others (as in "acting in concert").

“Concert” is pronounced kuhn-SURT (/kənˈsɝt/ in IPA).

Here is “concert” used in a sentence: “They queued for hours to get tickets to the concert.”

Depending on how it is used, “concert” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “concert” comes from French. Borrowed from French concert, from Italian concerto — related to the word concerto.

“Concert” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Concert” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a live musical performance, usually in front of an audience.

They overlap, but a concert usually sounds bigger and more organised — a formal live show in a venue or arena. A gig is more casual, often a smaller performance in a pub, club, or bar. Musicians tend to say 'gig' among themselves, while audiences more often say they are going to a concert.

A concert is normally a single performance by one act or a short line-up in one venue on one night. A festival is much larger, featuring many artists across several stages, often over several days and usually outdoors. A festival can contain dozens of concerts; a concert is just one show.

A recital is a smaller, more intimate performance, usually by a soloist or a few musicians, and often classical — a piano recital, for instance. A concert tends to be larger, with a band, orchestra, or full line-up and a bigger audience. Recitals feel personal; concerts feel like an event.

A rock band playing a stadium, an orchestra performing a symphony in a concert hall, or a singer touring arenas are all concerts. The key features are live music and an audience gathered to listen. It can be anything from a school concert to a sold-out show by a global star.