choirboy

American

[kwahyuhr-boi] / ˈkwaɪərˌbɔɪ /

noun

a boy who sings in a choir, especially a church choir.
Slang. a person who is notably honest, moral, or innocent.

choirboy British

/ ˈkwaɪəˌbɔɪ /

noun

one of a number of young boys who sing the treble part in a church choir

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of choirboy

First recorded in 1830–40; choir + boy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You don’t fight as a choirboy in a battle royale.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

The alleged offences happened a number of years after he shot to fame as a choirboy on the show, the court heard.

From BBC • May 8, 2025

The more well-documented tradition of this day was the election of a choirboy by his peers to perform the duties of bishop, dressing in his vestments and conducting Church services in a reversal of hierarchy.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2024

The surviving choirboy has testified that he decided to report Pell to police in 2015 after attending the friend’s funeral.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 24, 2023

But this night he felt ill at ease, a choirboy among cardinals.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023