an act or instance of choosing; selection: Her choice of a computer was made after months of research. His parents were not happy with his choice of friends.
2.
the right, power, or opportunity to choose; option: The child had no choice about going to school.
3.
the person or thing chosen or eligible to be chosen: This book is my choice. He is one of many choices for the award.
4.
an alternative: There is another choice.
5.
an abundance or variety from which to choose: a wide choice of candidates.
6.
something that is preferred or preferable to others; the best part of something: Mare's Nest is the choice in the sixth race.
7.
a carefully selected supply: This restaurant has a fine choice of wines.
8.
a choice grade of beef.
–adjective
9.
worthy of being chosen; excellent; superior.
10.
carefully selected: choice words.
11.
(in the grading of beef in the U.S.) rated between prime and good.
—Idiom
12.
of choice, that is generally preferred: A detached house is still the home of choice.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME chois < OF, deriv. of choisir to perceive, choose < Gmc; see choose]
—Related forms
choiceless, adjective
choicely, adverb
choiceness, noun
—Synonyms 2.Choice,alternative,option,preference all suggest the power of choosing between things. Choice implies the opportunity to choose: a choice of evils. Alternative suggests that one has a choice between only two possibilities. It is often used with a negative to mean that there is no second possibility: to have no alternative. Option emphasizes free right or privilege of choosing: to exercise one's option. Preference applies to a choice based on liking or partiality: to state a preference. 9. select, rare, uncommon, valuable, precious. See fine1.
A number or variety from which to choose: a wide choice of styles and colors.
The best or most preferable part.
Care in choosing.
An alternative.
adj.
choic·er, choic·est
Of very fine quality.
Appealing to refined taste.
Selected with care.
Of the U.S. Government grade of meat higher than good and lower than prime.
[Middle English chois, from Old French, from choisir, to choose, from Vulgar Latin *causīre, of Germanic origin; see geus- in Indo-European roots.]
choice'ly adv., choice'ness n.
Synonyms: These nouns denote the act, power, or right of choosing. Choice implies broadly the freedom to choose from a set: The store offers a wide choice of vegetables. I had no choice in the matter. Alternative emphasizes choice between only two possibilities or courses of action: "An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth.... Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do" (Jane Austen).
Option often stresses a power or liberty to choose that has been granted: The legislature outlined several tax options. Preference indicates choice based on one's values, bias, or predilections: We were offered our preference of wines. Selection suggests a variety of things or persons to choose from: The video store had a wide selection of foreign films. Election especially emphasizes the use of judgment: The university recommends the election of courses in literature. See Also Synonyms at delicate.
c.1300, from O.Fr. chois, from v. choisir "to choose," from a Gmc. source (cf. Gothic *kausjan "to taste, test"), from P.Gmc. base *kaus-, *keus-. Replaced O.E. cyre, from the same base, probably because the imported word was closer to choose. Sense of "that which is preferable to be chosen, the flower, the elite" is from 1494, from adj. in this sense (c.1350).
of superior grade; "choice wines"; "prime beef"; "prize carnations"; "quality paper"; "select peaches"
2.
appealing to refined taste; "choice wine"
noun
1.
the person or thing chosen or selected; "he was my pick for mayor"
2.
the act of choosing or selecting; "your choice of colors was unfortunate"; "you can take your pick"
3.
one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen; "what option did I have?"; "there no other alternative"; "my only choice is to refuse" [syn: option]
Manns Choice, PA (borough, FIPS 46944) Location: 40.00276 N, 78.59170 W Population (1990): 249 (117 housing units) Area: 1.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 15550
Choice\ (chois), n. [OE. chois, OF. chois, F. choix, fr. choisir to choose; of German origin; cf. Goth. kausjan to examine, kiusan to choose, examine, G. kiesen. [root]46. Cf. Choose.]1. Act of choosing; the voluntary act of selecting or separating from two or more things that which is preferred; the determination of the mind in preferring one thing to another; election. 2. The power or opportunity of choosing; option. Choice there is not, unless the thing which we take be so in our power that we might have refused it. --Hooker. 3. Care in selecting; judgment or skill in distinguishing what is to be preferred, and in giving a preference; discrimination. I imagine they [the apothegms of C[ae]sar] were collected with judgment and choice. --Bacon. 4. A sufficient number to choose among. --Shak. 5. The thing or person chosen; that which is approved and selected in preference to others; selection. The common wealth is sick of their own choice. --Shak. 6. The best part; that which is preferable. The flower and choice Of many provinces from bound to bound. --Milton. To make a choice of, to choose; to select; to separate and take in preference. Syn: Syn. - See Volition, Option.
Choice\, a. [Compar. Choicer; superl. Choicest.]1. Worthly of being chosen or preferred; select; superior; precious; valuable. My choicest hours of life are lost. --Swift. 2. Preserving or using with care, as valuable; frugal; -- used with of; as, to be choice of time, or of money. 3. Selected with care, and due attention to preference; deliberately chosen. Choice word measured phrase. --Wordsworth. Syn: Syn. - Select; precious; exquisite; uncommon; rare; chary; careful/
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Audio Help [chois] Pronunciation Key noun, adjective, choic·er, choic·est. 
