Choice is the act of picking between two or more options, or it's the thing you pick. When you face a menu at a restaurant, you make a choice about what to order. When you choose friends to invite to your birthday party, each friend you invite is a choice.

The word carries weight because our choices shape our lives. Small choices add up: choosing to practice piano daily or skipping practice can determine whether you'll play well at the recital. Big choices matter too: choosing which high school classes to take or which sport to focus on can open or close doors later.

Having choice means having freedom. In countries with genuine liberty, people make choices about where to live, what to study, and what to believe. When someone has no choice, they're forced into something they wouldn't have picked themselves.

The word also describes something of especially good quality. A choice cut of meat is among the best available. When something is described as choice, it's excellent or select, worthy of being chosen above others.