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

Multitracking his voice into a haunted choir, the effect as his vocals rise and cut out is absolutely gutting. — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026

Reddick loads her genre-blurring tale with outlandish intrigue involving Soviet spies, a capitalist cult and a roving choir that doubles as a Greek chorus. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus — a choir of elementary school students based in Staten Island, New York — will also perform, the last joined by Coldplay. — Staff and Wire Reports, Boston Herald, 8 July 2026

Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel and PS22 Chorus, the choir of elementary school students from a public school in Staten Island, New York, will also be featured. — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 8 July 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