choir
/kwaɪɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.88 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
One quarter of a cruciform church, or the architectural area of a church, generally used by the choir; often near the apse.
noun
A group of angels, especially when depicted in art.
noun
Set of strings (one per note) for a harpsichord.
Example Sentences
- "The church choir practices Thursday nights."
- "Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer."
- "Army choirs and troupes perform at some of North Korea's biggest state events."
- "Public health officials studying the Covid-19 outbreak among members of a Washington choir found numerous ways the virus could have spread, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
- "Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands."
- "Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones are three of the choirs of angels."
Etymology
From Middle English quer, quere, from Old French quer, from Latin chorus, from Ancient Greek χορός (khorós, “company of dancers or singers”). Modern spelling influenced by chorus and French chœur. Doublet of quire, chorus, and hora. Displaced native Old English hād.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /kwaɪɚ/
- British English: /kwaɪə(ɹ)/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Music.