adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of choral
1580–90; < Medieval Latin chorālis, equivalent to chor ( us ) chorus + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
When a large, organized group sings together, the music can be described as choral. Singing the choral piece "Messiah" by Handel is an annual tradition for many people who celebrate Christmas. The adjective choral is used for music that's sung by a choir or chorus — or written for voices, rather than instruments. It also describes anything connected to that kind of singing, like choral groups, choral concerts, and choral scholars who major in music at college. The word comes from the Greek khoros, which means "dance," but implies some singing too.
Vocabulary lists containing choral
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.
One of the oddest and most affecting pieces in the choral repertory is coming to Cincinnati’s May Festival on Tuesday.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
The musician's death on Sunday came after a short illness, the choral group posted on their Facebook page.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
The libretto is mostly in vernacular English, except for choral interjections of the Buddhist “Diamond Sutra,” sung in Chinese.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025
Still with the help of a couple angels in short choral passages, a lushness creeps in.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025
The purpose of this music is to create a sense of glorious beauty and ethereal godliness, to show off how rich the blending of choral voices could be.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
