troupe

USTROOP/tɹuːp/

Verbtroupes, trouping, trouped

Often confused with troop

3 meanings of troupe

1
nouncountable
A company of actors, singers, or dancers, often one that tours.
She joined a traveling theater troupe straight out of college.
Folk dance troupes from a dozen countries performed at the opening ceremony.
Similarcompany, ensemble, group
Note
One French word came into English twice: once long ago as troop, and again, recorded from 1825, as troupe with its French spelling left intact. English now keeps the spellings apart by meaning. A company of performers is a troupe, whether a touring theater group or the army choirs and dance troupes of state events, while soldiers and scouts stay in troops.
2
nouncountable
A group of people working together on a common activity.
A troupe of volunteers spent the weekend repainting the community center.
The company flew in a troupe of engineers to get the stalled project back on schedule.
Similarteam, band, group, crew
3
verbintransitive
To go on tour as a member of a company of performers.
She trouped with a repertory company for a decade before her first film role.
Actors who troupe through small towns learn to perform on whatever stage they are given.
Similartour

Practice

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Origin

Recorded from 1825, borrowed unchanged from French troupe. It is a doublet of troop, and possibly also of thorp and dorp.