What term describes a play or story mainly consisting of dialogue intended for performance?

The term that best describes a play or story mainly consisting of dialogue intended for performance is "drama." This genre is characterized by its focus on the interactions and conversations between characters, which are crafted to be performed on stage. In drama, the dialogue reveals the plot, character development, and themes, making it distinct from other forms of writing.

In contrast, prose refers to written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without the structured meter found in poetry. While prose can include dialogue, it does not imply a format intended for live performance. Poetry, on the other hand, employs rhythmic and aesthetic qualities in language, often exploring emotions and imagery but not necessarily designed for dialogue-based storytelling. Lastly, a novel is a long fictional narrative, typically written in prose, and while it may contain dialogue, it is not exclusively focused on it as a play is. Hence, "drama" is the most fitting term for a work intended for theatrical performance.