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choice

SayCHOYS/t͡ʃɔɪs/UK/t͡ʃojs/

Pluralchoices

11 meanings of choice

Practice

  1. 1
    optionnouncountable or uncountable
    An act of choosing between two or more possibilities, or one of the things that can be chosen; an option.

    Each student must make a choice about which language to study.

    The new policy gives families more choices for their healthcare.

    UsageYou make a choice (not incorrect: do a choice), and have a choice between named options or a choice of several.

    Similardecision

  2. 2
    nouncountable
    The thing selected or preferred; what someone has chosen, or the result of a decision.

    Moving abroad was a bold choice that changed the course of her life.

    After weeks of debate, the city's choice for the new library site was an empty lot near the river.

    UsageOften a good choice, the right choice, or someone's choice for something.

    Similarpick, preference

  3. 3
    noununcountable
    The power or ability to decide between possibilities for oneself.

    Patients increasingly value having a choice in their own treatment.

    The new law gives workers real choice over their schedules.

    UsageCommon in have no choice but to + verb: we had no choice but to leave.

    Similarsay, freedom, control, discretion

    Note

    An older idiom puts the power in someone's keeping. Woodrow Wilson writes that the president 'has it in his choice' to be the nation's political leader.

  4. 4
    rangenoununcountablesingular
    A number or supply of things large enough to allow selection among them.

    The new supermarket offers a wide choice of fresh fruit and vegetables.

    And, which is more, she is not so divine, / So full replete with choice of all delights
    c. 1591, William Shakespeare, Henry VI

    UsageMost often with a size word: a wide choice of, a good choice of something.

    Similarselection

    Note

    Shakespeare's 'so full replete with choice of all delights' in Henry VI, Part 1 describes someone stocked with enough delights to pick from. It means plenty, not a decision.

  5. 5
    adjective
    Especially good or preferred; of superior quality.

    The restaurant serves only choice cuts of meat.

    He reserved the choicest seats for his honored guests.

    UsageMostly before a noun, as in choice cuts or a choice location; the best is choicest.

    Similarprime, select, quality, prize

    Oppositeinferior, poor, substandard

    Note

    The adjective has its own pedigree. Middle English choys blended the French-born noun with native chyse, from Old English ċīes, 'choice; dainty; nice', a relative of ċēosan 'to choose'.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–4, 7, 9

The deepest root is Proto-Indo-European *ǵews- ("to choose"), which came down through Proto-Germanic and Gothic and possibly into an assumed Vulgar Latin *causīre ("to choose"). From there came Old French choisir ("to choose, perceive") and its noun chois ("choice"), which Middle English borrowed as chois. Old English ċēosan and Old Norse kjósa, both meaning "to choose," are relatives, as is the word choose.

Meanings 5–6, 8, 10

Two words merged here: the noun above and Middle English chyse ("choice, excellent"), which together gave Middle English choys. Chyse goes back to Old English ċīes ("choice; dainty; nice"), itself related to Old English ċēosan ("to choose").