Choice Is Both a Noun and a Compliment
A choice is a selection made. As an adjective it means of high quality, because it is what a careful chooser would pick.
A choice is an act of selecting between possibilities. The adjective is the same word turned sideways: *choice cuts* are those a discerning buyer would choose, so choice came to mean of superior quality. English does this often — *select* and *elect* both moved from picking to praising in exactly the same way.
- An act of selecting. *A difficult choice.*
- A range to select from. *A wide choice.*
- Of high quality. *Choice ingredients.*
- Blunt (of language). *A few choice words.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | choice | A free choice. |
| Plural | choices | Hard choices. |
| Adjective | choice | Choice produce. |
| Verb | choose | Choose wisely. |
| Past | chose / chosen | She has chosen. |
How it is used in a sentence
- There is a wide choice available.Range.
- Choice cuts of beef.High quality.
- He had a few choice words for them.Ironic: blunt language.
Picking words that became praise
- Choice — what a discerning person would choose
- Select — chosen, and therefore superior
- Elect — chosen, used of the specially favoured
- Prime — first, and therefore best
- Picked — as in *a picked team*
From Old French *chois*, from *choisir*, to choose, from a Germanic root — the same one behind English *choose*.
Choice or option?
An option is one of the possibilities. A choice is the act of picking, or the whole range on offer.
Why does choice mean high quality?
Because it describes what a careful chooser would select. Select and prime followed the same path.