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 of choir

Noun

• chorus

Examples of choir in a Sentence

Noun

joined the choir for next year

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Much has changed, evidenced by the jazz ensemble, worship team, and gospel, concert, and student and alumni choir groups that performed Thursday. —Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026

The Soweto Spiritual Singers, a South African gospel choir, arrive before Asake does on the 13-track album, framing M$NEY as a project bigger than its creator. —Boutayna Chokrane, Pitchfork, 7 May 2026

The party was woven into daily life in these hilltop communities, as Welsh as the mines and ironworks, the chapels and libraries, the male-voice choirs and rugby. —Alexander Smith, NBC news, 6 May 2026

Lerohl has watched the choir more than double in size over the past decade. —John Lauritsen, CBS News, 5 May 2026

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