SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

by choice

variants: less commonly

out of choice

Definition of by choice

: because one wants to I live here by choice. No one forced them to do it. They acted out of choice.

Word by Word Definitions

choiceplay

: the act of choosing : selection
: power of choosing : option
: the best part : cream

: worthy of being chosen
: selected with care
: of high quality

See the full definition of choice

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up by choice? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

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WORD OF THE DAY

alleviate

play

to relieve or lessen

Words at Play

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We're Down With You Being—or Your Being?—a Square

It's about (you? your?) having your say.

Devilish Words

Don't blame a word use error on the devil.

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How 'Wonderful' Lost Its Sense of Wonder

A case of semantic bleaching

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Don't Let Reading This Be Another 'Coulda' 'Shoulda' 'Woulda'

PSA: They're three separate words.

Ask the Editors

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Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

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Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

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Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

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Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

Which word entered the English language first?

Take the quiz

Name More Food!

Test your knowledge of food vocabulary!

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Name That Thing

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

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Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

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