choir

Where does the word "choir" come from? It comes from Latin chorus, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Choir’s story begins in Latin: chorus meant “chorus, dance.” From Greek 'khoros', a dance in a ring. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as cuer. The part of a church where singers sat. It reached English by 1200s as choir. Spelled 'quire' until the 1700s. Today, choir means an organized group of singers.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient chorus "chorus, dance", from Greek 'khoros', a dance in a ring.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval cuer "choir", the part of a church where singers sat.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s choir "choir of singers", spelled 'quire' until the 1700s.