choir

1 of 2

noun

ˈkwī(-ə)r 

1

: an organized company of singers (as in a church service)

greeted by a large male choir wearing red bowties and singing carols

—New Yorker

2

: a group of instruments of the same class

a brass choir

3

: an organized group of persons or things

… travels with a suite of assistants and a choir of publicists.

—L. R. Lapham

4

: a division of angels

5

: the part of a church occupied by the singers or by the clergy

also : the part of a church where the services are performed

6

: a group organized for ensemble speaking

choir

2 of 2

verb

choired; choiring; choirs

intransitive verb

: to sing or sound in chorus or concert

The woodwinds choired eloquently.

Synonyms

Noun

• chorale
• chorus
• consort
• glee club

Examples of choir in a Sentence

Noun

joined the choir for next year

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The show opened with a full gospel choir delivering a roof-raising rendition of church standards, followed by Stevie himself offering a deeply felt (and slightly improvised) Ave Maria. —David Hochman, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Uniting Voices — Songs of the Season Hear the renowned children's choir, including a citywide ensemble of high schoolers, sing holiday carols. —Moyo Adeolu, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024

Verb

Without cars, poor people can’t take children to sports practice, to choir, or to church. —Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

But opera, traditionally, also implies a large-scale work for orchestra and often choir, and Giddens had never written for so many instruments. —Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English quer, from Anglo-French queor, from Medieval Latin chorus, from Latin, chorus — more at chorus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing choir

• choir loft
• preach to the choir

Kids Definition

choir

noun

ˈkwī(-ə)r

1

: an organized group of singers especially in a church

2

: the part of a church where the choir sits