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.

See Examples For:

choirboy

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026

The virtuous choirboy persona was perhaps his first con.

From BBC ● Dec. 31, 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

It was there when Charles stood before a choirboy at Westminster Abbey on Saturday and promised to serve.

From Seattle Times ● May 8, 2023

He’d sing beautifully, his high choirboy voice hitting every note like a bell.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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