choir

Archaic, quire

[kwahy^uhr]

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 called: choir 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

Other Word Forms

• choirlike 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.

Example Sentences

The choir followed, every single member appearing exactly spaced out as the cameras panned above them.

From BBC

Even the choir stood in perfectly even rows as they sang "without the Communist Party, there is no modern China".

From BBC

The Radical Optimism singer was greeted at the ceremony by a children's choir, singing a rendition of her hit Levitating.

From BBC

The funeral was live streamed online and included hymns sung by a choir.

From BBC

Stewart ended his opening segment dancing and singing along with a choir to a familiar phrase.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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