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

Young plays Galen Keegan, a character with choir boy looks and a feral energy, who was only 10 years old when E-Day occurred, halting his physical aging process, though his mind continued to develop. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026

Michele starred in all six seasons of Glee’s original run from 2009-15 as Rachel, the very talented and occasionally off-putting star vocalist of the McKinley High School show choir, New Directions. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

By the 1980s, England was beginning its turn away from churchgoing as a cornerstone of society, so nothing as extroverted or nakedly clerical as gospel choirs would fit a downcast, monochromatic land anyhow. — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026

During her April 10, 2010 ordination, held at a Lutheran church, Katz recalled that Denomme spent most of the ceremony lying on the floor on a bed of choir robes and pillows. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 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