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

see also:

preach to the choir

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

The Parsons Elementary School choir is recording a holiday song to help raise money to provide books to students at Title 1 schools. — Leondra Head, CBS News, 12 Nov. 2026

Garden shows, chrysanthemums and ‘Urbs in Horto’ O’Banion had been an altar boy in the choir at Holy Name Cathedral and was married there, but he was denied a funeral inside the church because of his underworld affiliation. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026

Filling out my family’s daily pursuits (Ultimate Frisbee practice, choir lessons, dinners out) is a family ritual. — Nicholas Blechman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026

The program also includes traditional Christmas carols and joyful selections performed with the North Coast Singers, a choir of students in grades 4–12. — Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 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