noun

chore

CHOR/tʃɔːr/

A routine task, especially one that is tedious or burdensome.

Scrubbing a greasy pan is a chore he dislikes.

A mildly weary man wearing rubber gloves scrubs a greasy pan at a kitchen sink, with dirty dishes waiting beside him: an unmistakable unpleasant household task.

Etymology

choreOld Englishturn, occasion, business

Old English cerr covered both a “turn” or “occasion” and an affair or piece of business. Through the later meaning “odd job,” it developed into the familiar small, recurring household task.

In context

MCC East Bay (Muslim Community Center)86:52

we have a kitchen cleaning chore chart

Speaking for Ourselves: A Panel of Your East Bay Muslim Neighbors

More examples

The kids finish their chores before dinner.
Updating the inventory is my last chore of the day.
For her, answering routine emails feels like a chore.

Forms

chore · chores

Similar words

task: Task is neutral and need not be routine or tedious.
duty: Duty emphasizes responsibility or obligation rather than tedium.
errand: Errand usually involves a short trip to do something.