choir

[ kwahyuhr ]

noun

1. a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
2. any group of musicians or musical instruments; a musical company, or band, or a division of one:

   string choir.

3. Architecture.
   1. the part of a church occupied by the singers of the choir.
   2. the part of a cruciform church east of the crossing.
4. (in medieval angelology) one of the orders of angels.

adjective

1. professed to recite or chant the divine office:

   a choir monk.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to sing or sound in chorus.

choir

/ kwaɪə /

noun

1. an organized group of singers, esp for singing in church services
2. 1. the part of a cathedral, abbey, or church in front of the altar, lined on both sides with benches, and used by the choir and clergy Compare chancel
   2. ( as modifier )

      choir stalls

3. a number of instruments of the same family playing together

   a brass choir

4. Also calledchoir organ one of the manuals on an organ controlling a set of soft sweet-toned pipes Compare great swell
5. any of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology

Derived Forms

• ˈchoirˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• choir·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of choir¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English quer, from Old French cuer, from Latin chorus “choir,” replacing Old English chor, from Latin; chorus

Word History and Origins

Origin of choir¹

C13 quer, from Old French cuer, from Latin chorus

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. preach to the choir. preach to the choir.

Related Words

• assemblage
• band
• cast
• chorus
• orchestra
• quartet
• quintet
• sextet
• trio
• troupe