choir English · revision 15213

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1297|origins=grc χορός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kwaɪə(ɹ)/, /kwɑə(ɹ) ~ kwɑː(ɹ)/ ''(UK)''; /kwaɪɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|quer]], [[bor|fro|cuer|t=choir of a church]] (also [[m|fro|quer]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la-med|chorus|t=body of church singers; part of a church]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|chorus|t=band of dancers, chorus]] (see [[chorus]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[grc|χορός|tr=khorós]].^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The part of a church where the singers sit: 1297 in the OED, about 1300 (queor) in Etymonline and Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The clergy of a cathedral singing the services is from about 1300,^(OED 1989) and the band of singers in church from about 1380 (about 1400 in Etymonline, as quyre).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Any organized company of singers is from before 1553,^(OED 1989) and Hoad dates the general sense to the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) The spelling choir, assimilated to Latin chorus and French [[m|fr|chœur]], was established in the 17th century (1643 in Barnhart, in Cromwell's letters),^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) but the pronunciation has not changed;^(Etymonline) the spelling ''quire'' survives in the English Prayer Book.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1297 – the choir of a church.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1380 – a band of church singers.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1553 – any company of singers.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1643 – the spelling choir.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An organized group of singers, especially one that performs in [[church]] services.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The part of a church or cathedral used by the choir and clergy, in the [[chancel]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A group of musical instruments of the same family.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To sing in chorus.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[choirlike]]

+ * [[antechoir]]

+ * [[choirboy]]

+ * [[choirgirl]]

+ * [[choirmaster]]

+ * [[retrochoir]]

+ * [[chorister]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[choral]]

+ * [[chorus]]

+ * [[quire]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}