choir

American  

[kwahy^uhr] / kwaɪər /

Archaic, quire

noun

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. 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

• choirlike adjective

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; chorus

Example Sentences

An 11th-century monk mapped pitches onto the human hand when directing his choir—unlocking a new connection between the eye and the ear.

From The Wall Street Journal

The structure possesses a double power: phenomenal acoustics and, with its sheer beauty, the ability to trick us into thinking the chapel choir is better than it is.

From The Wall Street Journal

The idea came from their family connection to choirs, with Corden's mum and Jones' sister both members of one.

From BBC

It’s as if the holiday season hadn’t yet ended, with festive lighting, local choirs singing folk songs, and tables representing various organizations associated with the cozy concept of hygge.

From The Wall Street Journal

There was also hot cocoa, a juggling show and a choir singing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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