Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “choice” come from?

Choice comes from Middle English chois, from Old French chois, the noun form of Old French choisir, ultimately from Proto-Germanic keusaną and Proto-Indo-European ǵews-, meaning to taste or perceive.

choice (English): An option; a decision; an opportunity to choose...

Definitions

  1. An option; a decision; an opportunity to choose...

Ancestry of “choice”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchchoyschoice
2Old Frenchchoischoice
3Old Frenchchoisirto choose, perceive
4Gothic𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽to taste
5Proto-Germanickauzijanąto sample, to taste
6Proto-Germanickeusanąto test, to try; to choose
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵews-to taste, try

Words derived from “choice”

  • choicely
  • choiceless
  • choiceness
  • nonchoice
  • multichoice
  • choicelessness
  • choiceful
  • overchoice
  • choicelessly
  • choicy
  • subchoice
  • mischoice
  • unchoice
  • choiciest
  • forechoice
  • anti-choice
  • pro-choice
  • anti-choicer
  • pro-choicer
  • choicier
  • च्वॉइस
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵews- →