ENGLISH
REFERENCE

choice

n. C / U
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈtʃɔɪs// UK //tʃˈɔɪs// choice Archaic General-service Slang

n. the act of picking between two or more things. It can also mean the range of different things you can pick from.

n. the act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities; the range of options available from which to select.


SIMPLE

You have a choice between tea and coffee.

CONTEXTUAL

The restaurant offers a wide choice of vegetarian dishes on its new seasonal menu.

COMPLEX

While the abundance of choice in modern supermarkets is often seen as a benefit, psychologists suggest that too many options can lead to decision fatigue and eventual regret.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English chois, from Old French chois (“choice”), from choisir (“to choose, perceive”), possibly via assumed Vulgar Latin causīre (“to choose”), from Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (kausjan, “to make a choice, taste, test, choose”), from Proto-Germanic kauzijaną, from keusaną (“to choose”), from Proto-Indo-European ǵews- (“to choose”). Akin to Old High German kiosan (“to choose”), Old English ċēosan (“to choose”), Old Norse kjósa (“to choose”). More at choose.

Etymology 2

From Middle English choys, from a merger of the noun above and Middle English chyse, chuse, chys, chis (“choice, excellent”), from Old English ċīes (“choice; dainty; nice”), related to Old English ċēosan (“to choose”).

Usage

Countable when referring to a specific decision or a set of options; uncountable when referring to the abstract power or right to choose.

Pitfall

I don't have a choice but to goI have no choice but to goWhile 'don't have a choice' is grammatically possible, the idiomatic expression for having only one option is 'to have no choice but to [verb]'.

Idioms2 entries

© 2026 English Reference