choir

1 of 2

noun

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

Examples of choir in a Sentence

Noun joined the choir for next year
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
His choral music has been performed extensively in the UK and abroad, and has been recorded by the choirs of Christchurch and Trinity College Oxford. Deborah Unger, Scientific American, 5 Nov. 2025 In the afternoon, the village will have pictures with Santa, a high school choir performance, costumed characters, and photo opportunities. Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
The boys choir Escolania de Montserrat i Cor Cambra Palau de la Música Catalana are also listed as collaborators. Thania Garcia, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025 The boys choir Escolania de Montserrat i Cor Cambra Palau de la Música Catalana will also be part of the album. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for choir

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of choir was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Choir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choir. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on choir

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!