choice
/tʃɔɪs/
noun
Origin
Old French
chois — a selection, decision
Overview
Meaning Now
- An act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities.
- The power or right to make a decision.
- A person or thing that is selected or chosen.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
chois
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word entered English following the Norman Conquest, reflecting the French influence on English vocabulary regarding governance, law, and social decision-making processes.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*geus-
“to taste, to choose”
- Old French
chois
“selection”
Derived from the verb 'choisir'.
- Middle English
chois
“the act of choosing”
Loanword from Old French.
- Modern English
choice
“selection, power to choose”
Standardized spelling.
Connections
Word parts
chois
root
to choose
Related across languages
French
choix
choice
Old High German
kiosan
to choose
Related words
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Related to choice
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.