Definitions and meaning of choice
choice
Alternative forms
- choise, choyse (both obsolete)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /t͡ʃɔɪs/
-
- Rhymes: -ɔɪs
Etymology 1
From Middle English chois, from Old French chois (“choice”), from choisir (“to choose, perceive”), possibly via assumed Vulgar Latin *causīre (“to choose”), from Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (kausjan, “to make a choice, taste, test, choose”), from Proto-Germanic *kauzijaną, from *keusaną (“to choose”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵews- (“to choose”). Akin to Old High German kiosan (“to choose”), Old English ċēosan (“to choose”), Old Norse kjósa (“to choose”). More at choose.
Noun
choice (countable and uncountable, plural choices)
- An option; a decision; an opportunity to choose or select something.
- Do I have a choice of what color to paint it?
- (uncountable) The power to choose.
- She didn't leave us much choice.
- One selection or preference; that which is chosen or decided; the outcome of a decision.
- The ice cream sundae is a popular choice for dessert.
- Anything that can be chosen.
- (usually with the) The best or most preferable part.
- (obsolete) Care and judgement in selecting; discrimination, selectiveness.
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- 1757, Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, London: R. & J. Dodsley, Part I, Section I, p. 1,[2]
- We see children perpetually running from place to place to hunt out something new; they catch with great eagerness, and with very little choice, at whatever comes before them; their attention is engaged by every thing, because every thing has, in that stage of life, the charm of novelty to recommend it.
- (obsolete) A sufficient number to choose among.
- (set theory) Ellipsis of axiom of choice.
Synonyms
- (selection or preference): option, possibility; see also Thesaurus:option
- (anything that can be chosen): assortment, range, selection
- (definite: best or most preferable part): the cream
- (sufficient number to choose among): abundance, profusion; see also Thesaurus:cornucopia
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Etymology 2
From Middle English choys, from a merger of the noun above and Middle English chyse, chuse, chys, chis (“choice, excellent”), from Old English ċīes (“choice; dainty; nice”), related to Old English ċēosan (“to choose”).
Adjective
choice (comparative choicer or more choice, superlative choicest or most choice)
- Especially good or preferred.
- Synonyms: prime, prize, quality, select, choicy
- (obsolete) Careful in choosing; discriminating.
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- 1856, J. R. Planché (tr.), Fairy Tales by the Countess d'Aulnoy, The Princess Carpillon:
- Thus musing, he ate nothing; the Queen, believing that it was in consequence of his having been unkindly received, loaded him with caresses; she herself handed him some exquisite fruits, of which she was very choice.
Translations
Interjection
choice
- (slang, New Zealand) Cool; excellent.
- "I'm going to the movies." —"Choice!"
See also
References
- “choice”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “choice”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams
Middle English
Noun
choice
- Alternative form of chois
Adjective
choice
- Alternative form of chois
Source: wiktionary.org