What does choired mean?
Choired is the past tense and past participle of the uncommon verb 'to choir', which means to sing in a choir or to perform music as part of a choral group. While the word 'choir' itself is very familiar as a noun denoting a body of singers — typically in a church, school, or concert setting — its verbal form is rare and largely literary. When it does appear, 'choired' usually describes a group raising their voices together in song: a congregation may be described as having choired a hymn, or an anthem may have been choired by a large ensemble. Because the usage is infrequent, many readers encounter 'choired' with surprise, and careful writers often choose more conventional phrasing such as 'sang' or 'performed as a choir'. Still, the form is legitimate, well-formed English, and it offers a compact way to evoke collective, harmonious singing in descriptive prose.
verbChoired is the simple past tense and past participle of the verb 'choir', meaning to sing in a choir or to arrange music for singing by a choir.
- To sing in, or as part of, a choir (past tense/past participle of 'to choir').
"The villagers choired the hymn with such fervour that the sound carried far beyond the church walls."
"The children choired the carol beautifully at the Christmas service."
"The anthem was choired by an ensemble of two hundred voices."
Yes, 'choir' can be a verb — so technically you can say a congregation choired the psalm, though even seasoned singers rarely hear it said.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of choired
The word traces back through Middle English 'quer', borrowed from Old French 'quier', ultimately from Latin 'chorus', which itself derives from Greek 'khoros' — a band of dancers or singers. The same Greek root gives us related words including 'chorus', 'choral', 'chorale', and 'chorister'. The verb use of 'choir' developed naturally from the noun, allowing writers to describe singing collectively, though it has always remained a minor sense beside the noun.
Related word forms
How choired is actually used
The verbal use of 'choir' — and therefore forms like 'choired' — is rare and somewhat literary; most writers prefer 'sang' or 'performed' with 'as a choir'. It appears chiefly in descriptive or poetic prose about church or communal singing. The noun 'choir' remains overwhelmingly the dominant use of the word.
Easily confused with choired
'Chorded' relates to chords in music or to cords/strands twisted together, while 'choired' means sung in a choir.
'Quired' is the past tense of the printing term 'quire' (a set of paper sheets or a book gathering), unrelated to singing.