choir

American  

[kwahy^uhr] / kwaɪər /

Archaic, quire

noun

• choirs
  plural

1. a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

2. any group of musicians or musical instruments; a musical company, or band, or a division of one.

   string choir.

3. Architecture.

   1. the part of a church occupied by the singers of the choir.

   2. the part of a cruciform church east of the crossing.

4. (in medieval angelology) one of the orders of angels.

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adjective

1. professed to recite or chant the divine office.

   a choir monk.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to sing or sound in chorus.

idioms

1. preach to the choir. see preach to the choir.

choir British  

/ kwaɪə /

noun

1. an organized group of singers, esp for singing in church services

2. 1. the part of a cathedral, abbey, or church in front of the altar, lined on both sides with benches, and used by the choir and clergy Compare chancel

   2. ( as modifier )

      choir stalls

3. a number of instruments of the same family playing together

   a brass choir

4. Also called: choir organ. one of the manuals on an organ controlling a set of soft sweet-toned pipes Compare great swell

5. any of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• choirlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• choirs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of choir

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English quer, from Old French cuer, from Latin chorus “choir,” replacing Old English chor, from Latin; see chorus

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Explanation

A choir is group of singers, often gathered for church ceremonies. If you love to sing but don't fancy a solo turn on a TV talent show, perhaps joining a choir would satisfy you. Choir, pronounced QUIRE, comes from the Latin word chorus, which itself comes from the Greek name for a group of singers and dancers. We still use chorus for singing or dancing, but choir is exclusively for singing groups. Although choirs are traditionally associated with church services, they don't have to be. If you love singing but aren't religious, you could start a choir that sings about the glory of donuts. It's also a verb, as in, "I love to choir."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

choir choirs

At a municipal center, a choir of about a hundred faithful practices hymns for the ceremony.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

But, like Mona and her fond memories of childhood church choir, I couldn’t let the urge go.

From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026

But instead of preaching to the choir, he contends with society’s gray areas, never offering a solution — or even his own opinion — on the difficult topics at hand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

No choir of supportive voices cheering the idea had been organized.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

At the end of the block, the Baptist choir was rehearsing Christmas carols, their rich voices spilling out into the neighborhood from the open church door.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

The event, billed as the The Land of Song Festival, will feature world-renowned Italian Tenor Andrea Bocelli, but choirs are pulling out because of steep costs that include fees for individual singers.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Two large choirs also joined the orchestra at the sessions in April, which took place at Alexandra Palace in north London.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Gospel choirs, country musicians, jazz ensembles, mariachi groups, Indigenous performers, military bands and local community orchestras share stages throughout the city.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

The community choirs said they wanted to us the "emotive power of song" to highlight what they say is the desperate need for a long-term recovery plan to combat pollution and ecological decline.

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026

I can see other choirs waiting in the wings.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

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Related Words

• assemblage
• band
• cast
• chorus
• orchestra
• quartet
• quintet
• sextet
• trio
• troupe

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