elenco

Elenco is a term used in several Romance languages, most commonly Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian. It refers to a list or roster of items or people. In its broad sense, an elenco can be a published or organized enumeration, such as a roll of members, a catalog, or a directory.

In the context of performing arts, elenco denotes the group of performers in a work, i.e., the cast. In Portuguese and Spanish, it is widely used to describe the cast of a film, theater production, television series, or other performances. The sense as an actor ensemble is central in entertainment industry discourse in these languages, though regional usage can vary and sometimes the term repartо or elenco may be used alongside or instead of cast.

Etymology-wise, the word reflects the idea of listing or enumerating and is linked to verbs in these languages that mean to list or enumerate. The concept is similar across Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian, with subtle stylistic differences in how the term is applied in specific contexts.

In English-language contexts, elenco appears primarily in discussions of Latin American or Iberian cinema and theater, where it is used to describe the set of performers in a production. Outside the performing arts, elenco can also mean a general roster or lineup of people or items in an organized list.