choir

1 of 2

noun

ˈkwī(-ə)r 

1

: an organized company of singers (as in a church service)

greeted by a large male choir wearing red bowties and singing carols

—New Yorker

2

: a group of instruments of the same class

a brass choir

3

: an organized group of persons or things

… travels with a suite of assistants and a choir of publicists.

—L. R. Lapham

4

: a division of angels

5

: the part of a church occupied by the singers or by the clergy

also : the part of a church where the services are performed

6

: a group organized for ensemble speaking

choir

2 of 2

verb

choired; choiring; choirs

intransitive verb

: to sing or sound in chorus or concert

The woodwinds choired eloquently.

Synonyms

Noun

• chorus

Examples of choir in a Sentence

Noun

joined the choir for next year

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Angela, a choir director and family history consultant for her local church, was first hospitalized on March 6 complaining of dizziness and weakness. —Christine Pelisek, People.com, 15 July 2025

At tiny churches, phones even come in handy as hymnals and the music accompaniment for singing praises and lifting joyful songs because there is no organ or choir. —Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 3 July 2025

Verb

Singer-songwriter Lee Greenwood, choirs from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Marine Band will also have musical contributions to the program. —Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2025

Performing at Trump's swearing in ceremony are country star Carrie Underwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio, while singer-songwriter Lee Greenwood, choirs from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Marine Band are expected to have musical contributions to the program. —Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English quer, from Anglo-French queor, from Medieval Latin chorus, from Latin, chorus — more at chorus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing choir

• choir loft
• preach to the choir

Rhymes for choir

• acquire
• attire
• bonfire
• campfire
• ceasefire
• conspire
• desire
• enquire
• entire
• greenbrier
• gunfire
• homebuyer

Kids Definition

choir

noun

ˈkwī(-ə)r

1

: an organized group of singers especially in a church

2

: the part of a church where the choir sits