- The act of choosing; selection.
- The power, right, or liberty to choose; option.
- One that is chosen.
- 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.
- 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.
of choice
- Preferred above others of the same kind or set: “the much used leveraged buyout as the weapon of choice” (Alison Leigh Cowan).
[Middle English chois, from Old French, from choisir, to choose, from Vulgar Latin *causīre, of Germanic origin.]
choicely choice'ly adv.choiceness choice'ness n.
SYNONYMS choice, alternative, option, preference, selection, election. 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.
