diff --git a/docs/markdown/Builtin-options.md b/docs/markdown/Builtin-options.md
index ca4fd14c0..f3cbcea75 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/Builtin-options.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/Builtin-options.md
@@ -296,6 +296,21 @@ is inherited from the main project. This is useful, for example, when the main
 project requires C++11, but a subproject requires C++14. The `cpp_std` value
 from the subproject's `default_options` is now respected.
 
+Since *1.3.0* `c_std` and `cpp_std` options now accept a list of values.
+Projects that prefer GNU C, but can fallback to ISO C, can now set, for
+example, `default_options: 'c_std=gnu11,c11'`, and it will use `gnu11` when
+available, but fallback to c11 otherwise. It is an error only if none of the
+values are supported by the current compiler.
+Likewise, a project that can take benefit of `c++17` but can still build with
+`c++11` can set `default_options: 'cpp_std=c++17,c++11'`.
+This allows us to deprecate `gnuXX` values from the MSVC compiler. That means
+that `default_options: 'c_std=gnu11'` will now print a warning with MSVC
+but fallback to `c11`. No warning is printed if at least one
+of the values is valid, i.e. `default_options: 'c_std=gnu11,c11'`.
+In the future that deprecation warning will become an hard error because
+`c_std=gnu11` should mean GNU is required, for projects that cannot be
+built with MSVC for example.
+
 ## Specifying options per machine
 
 Since *0.51.0*, some options are specified per machine rather than
diff --git a/docs/markdown/snippets/cstd.md b/docs/markdown/snippets/cstd.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc1f08318
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/markdown/snippets/cstd.md
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+## `c_std` and `cpp_std` options now accepts a list of values
+
+Projects that prefer GNU C, but can fallback to ISO C, can now set, for
+example, `default_options: 'c_std=gnu11,c11'`, and it will use `gnu11` when
+available, but fallback to `c11` otherwise. It is an error only if none of the
+values are supported by the current compiler.
+
+Likewise, a project that can take benefit of `c++17` but can still build with
+`c++11` can set `default_options: 'cpp_std=c++17,c++11'`.
+
+This allows us to deprecate `gnuXX` values from the MSVC compiler. That means
+that `default_options: 'c_std=gnu11'` will now print a warning with MSVC
+but fallback to `c11`. No warning is printed if at least one
+of the values is valid, i.e. `default_options: 'c_std=gnu11,c11'`.
+
+In the future that deprecation warning will become an hard error because
+`c_std=gnu11` should mean GNU is required, for projects that cannot be
+built with MSVC for example.
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
index d514650de..7f9e5844c 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
 else:
     CompilerMixinBase = object
 
+_ALL_STDS = ['c89', 'c9x', 'c90', 'c99', 'c1x', 'c11', 'c17', 'c18', 'c2x']
+_ALL_STDS += [f'gnu{std[1:]}' for std in _ALL_STDS]
+_ALL_STDS += ['iso9899:1990', 'iso9899:199409', 'iso9899:1999', 'iso9899:2011', 'iso9899:2017', 'iso9899:2018']
+
 
 class CCompiler(CLikeCompiler, Compiler):
     def attribute_check_func(self, name: str) -> str:
@@ -101,12 +105,9 @@ class CCompiler(CLikeCompiler, Compiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = super().get_options()
+        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
         opts.update({
-            OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language): coredata.UserComboOption(
-                'C language standard to use',
-                ['none'],
-                'none',
-            )
+            key: coredata.UserStdOption('C', _ALL_STDS),
         })
         return opts
 
@@ -125,20 +126,18 @@ class _ClangCStds(CompilerMixinBase):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = super().get_options()
-        c_stds = ['c89', 'c99', 'c11']
-        g_stds = ['gnu89', 'gnu99', 'gnu11']
+        stds = ['c89', 'c99', 'c11']
         # https://releases.llvm.org/6.0.0/tools/clang/docs/ReleaseNotes.html
         # https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xcode#Latest_versions
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C17_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c17']
-            g_stds += ['gnu17']
+            stds += ['c17']
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C18_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c18']
-            g_stds += ['gnu18']
+            stds += ['c18']
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C2X_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c2x']
-            g_stds += ['gnu2x']
-        opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)].choices = ['none'] + c_stds + g_stds
+            stds += ['c2x']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(stds, gnu=True)
         return opts
 
 
@@ -244,8 +243,9 @@ class ArmclangCCompiler(ArmclangCompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c90', 'c99', 'c11', 'gnu90', 'gnu99', 'gnu11']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c90', 'c99', 'c11'], gnu=True)
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -285,16 +285,15 @@ class GnuCCompiler(GnuCompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        c_stds = ['c89', 'c99', 'c11']
-        g_stds = ['gnu89', 'gnu99', 'gnu11']
+        stds = ['c89', 'c99', 'c11']
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C18_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c17', 'c18']
-            g_stds += ['gnu17', 'gnu18']
+            stds += ['c17', 'c18']
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C2X_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c2x']
-            g_stds += ['gnu2x']
+            stds += ['c2x']
         key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none'] + c_stds + g_stds
+        std_opt = opts[key]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(stds, gnu=True)
         if self.info.is_windows() or self.info.is_cygwin():
             opts.update({
                 key.evolve('winlibs'): coredata.UserArrayOption(
@@ -370,7 +369,9 @@ class ElbrusCCompiler(ElbrusCompiler, CCompiler):
             stds += ['c90', 'c1x', 'gnu90', 'gnu1x', 'iso9899:2011']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.26.00'):
             stds += ['c17', 'c18', 'iso9899:2017', 'iso9899:2018', 'gnu17', 'gnu18']
-        opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)].choices = ['none'] + stds
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(stds)
         return opts
 
     # Elbrus C compiler does not have lchmod, but there is only linker warning, not compiler error.
@@ -404,11 +405,12 @@ class IntelCCompiler(IntelGnuLikeCompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        c_stds = ['c89', 'c99']
-        g_stds = ['gnu89', 'gnu99']
+        stds = ['c89', 'c99']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=16.0.0'):
-            c_stds += ['c11']
-        opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)].choices = ['none'] + c_stds + g_stds
+            stds += ['c11']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(stds, gnu=True)
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -465,33 +467,23 @@ class VisualStudioCCompiler(MSVCCompiler, VisualStudioLikeCCompilerMixin, CCompi
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = super().get_options()
-        c_stds = ['c89', 'c99']
-        # Need to have these to be compatible with projects
-        # that set c_std to e.g. gnu99.
-        # https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/7611
-        g_stds = ['gnu89', 'gnu90', 'gnu9x', 'gnu99']
+        stds = ['c89', 'c99']
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C11_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c11']
-            g_stds += ['gnu1x', 'gnu11']
+            stds += ['c11']
         if version_compare(self.version, self._C17_VERSION):
-            c_stds += ['c17', 'c18']
-            g_stds += ['gnu17', 'gnu18']
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none'] + c_stds + g_stds
+            stds += ['c17', 'c18']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(stds, gnu=True, gnu_deprecated=True)
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
         args = []
         std = options[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
-        if std.value.startswith('gnu'):
-            mlog.log(
-                'cl.exe does not actually support gnu standards, and meson '
-                'will instead demote to the nearest ISO C standard. This '
-                'may cause compilation to fail.', once=True)
         # As of MVSC 16.8, /std:c11 and /std:c17 are the only valid C standard options.
-        if std.value in {'c11', 'gnu1x', 'gnu11'}:
+        if std.value in {'c11'}:
             args.append('/std:c11')
-        elif std.value in {'c17', 'c18', 'gnu17', 'gnu18'}:
+        elif std.value in {'c17', 'c18'}:
             args.append('/std:c17')
         return args
 
@@ -531,8 +523,9 @@ class IntelClCCompiler(IntelVisualStudioLikeCompiler, VisualStudioLikeCCompilerM
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = super().get_options()
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c89', 'c99', 'c11']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c89', 'c99', 'c11'])
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -564,8 +557,9 @@ class ArmCCompiler(ArmCompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c89', 'c99', 'c11']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c89', 'c99', 'c11'])
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -593,8 +587,9 @@ class CcrxCCompiler(CcrxCompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c89', 'c99']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c89', 'c99'])
         return opts
 
     def get_no_stdinc_args(self) -> T.List[str]:
@@ -640,8 +635,9 @@ class Xc16CCompiler(Xc16Compiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c89', 'c99', 'gnu89', 'gnu99']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c89', 'c99'], gnu=True)
         return opts
 
     def get_no_stdinc_args(self) -> T.List[str]:
@@ -685,8 +681,9 @@ class CompCertCCompiler(CompCertCompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c89', 'c99']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c89', 'c99'])
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -722,8 +719,9 @@ class TICCompiler(TICompiler, CCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c89', 'c99', 'c11']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c89', 'c99', 'c11'])
         return opts
 
     def get_no_stdinc_args(self) -> T.List[str]:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
index 7a8ae7247..c7af1cac6 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
@@ -1380,11 +1380,11 @@ def get_global_options(lang: str,
 
     cargs = coredata.UserArrayOption(
         description + ' compiler',
-        comp_options, split_args=True, user_input=True, allow_dups=True)
+        comp_options, split_args=True, allow_dups=True)
 
     largs = coredata.UserArrayOption(
         description + ' linker',
-        link_options, split_args=True, user_input=True, allow_dups=True)
+        link_options, split_args=True, allow_dups=True)
 
     if comp.INVOKES_LINKER and comp_key == envkey:
         # If the compiler acts as a linker driver, and we're using the
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
index 8c8043763..3e9668262 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
 else:
     CompilerMixinBase = object
 
+_ALL_STDS = ['c++98', 'c++0x', 'c++03', 'c++1y', 'c++1z', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17', 'c++2a', 'c++20', 'c++23']
+_ALL_STDS += [f'gnu{std[1:]}' for std in _ALL_STDS]
+_ALL_STDS += ['vc++11', 'vc++14', 'vc++17', 'vc++20', 'vc++latest', 'c++latest']
+
 
 def non_msvc_eh_options(eh: str, args: T.List[str]) -> None:
     if eh == 'none':
@@ -178,11 +182,7 @@ class CPPCompiler(CLikeCompiler, Compiler):
         opts = super().get_options()
         key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
         opts.update({
-            key: coredata.UserComboOption(
-                'C++ language standard to use',
-                ['none'],
-                'none',
-            ),
+            key: coredata.UserStdOption('C++', _ALL_STDS),
         })
         return opts
 
@@ -257,17 +257,15 @@ class ClangCPPCompiler(_StdCPPLibMixin, ClangCompiler, CPPCompiler):
             key.evolve('rtti'): coredata.UserBooleanOption('Enable RTTI', True),
         })
         cppstd_choices = [
-            'none', 'c++98', 'c++03', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17', 'c++1z',
-            'c++2a', 'c++20', 'gnu++11', 'gnu++14', 'gnu++17', 'gnu++1z',
-            'gnu++2a', 'gnu++20',
+            'c++98', 'c++03', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17', 'c++1z', 'c++2a', 'c++20',
         ]
         if version_compare(self.version, self._CPP23_VERSION):
             cppstd_choices.append('c++23')
-            cppstd_choices.append('gnu++23')
         if version_compare(self.version, self._CPP26_VERSION):
             cppstd_choices.append('c++26')
-            cppstd_choices.append('gnu++26')
-        opts[key.evolve('std')].choices = cppstd_choices
+        std_opt = opts[key.evolve('std')]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(cppstd_choices, gnu=True)
         if self.info.is_windows() or self.info.is_cygwin():
             opts.update({
                 key.evolve('winlibs'): coredata.UserArrayOption(
@@ -371,10 +369,9 @@ class ArmclangCPPCompiler(ArmclangCompiler, CPPCompiler):
                 'default',
             ),
         })
-        opts[key].choices = [
-            'none', 'c++98', 'c++03', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17', 'gnu++98',
-            'gnu++03', 'gnu++11', 'gnu++14', 'gnu++17',
-        ]
+        std_opt = opts[key]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c++98', 'c++03', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17'], gnu=True)
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -426,17 +423,16 @@ class GnuCPPCompiler(_StdCPPLibMixin, GnuCompiler, CPPCompiler):
             )
         })
         cppstd_choices = [
-            'none', 'c++98', 'c++03', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17', 'c++1z',
-            'c++2a', 'c++20', 'gnu++03', 'gnu++11', 'gnu++14', 'gnu++17',
-            'gnu++1z', 'gnu++2a', 'gnu++20',
+            'c++98', 'c++03', 'c++11', 'c++14', 'c++17', 'c++1z',
+            'c++2a', 'c++20',
         ]
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=12.2.0'):
             cppstd_choices.append('c++23')
-            cppstd_choices.append('gnu++23')
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=14.0.0'):
             cppstd_choices.append('c++26')
-            cppstd_choices.append('gnu++26')
-        opts[key].choices = cppstd_choices
+        std_opt = opts[key]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(cppstd_choices, gnu=True)
         if self.info.is_windows() or self.info.is_cygwin():
             opts.update({
                 key.evolve('winlibs'): coredata.UserArrayOption(
@@ -513,21 +509,21 @@ class ElbrusCPPCompiler(ElbrusCompiler, CPPCompiler):
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CPPCompiler.get_options(self)
 
-        cpp_stds = ['none', 'c++98', 'gnu++98']
+        cpp_stds = ['c++98']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.20.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++03', 'c++0x', 'c++11', 'gnu++03', 'gnu++0x', 'gnu++11']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++03', 'c++0x', 'c++11']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.21.00') and version_compare(self.version, '<1.22.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++14', 'gnu++14', 'c++1y', 'gnu++1y']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++14', 'c++1y']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.22.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++14', 'gnu++14']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++14']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.23.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++1y', 'gnu++1y']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++1y']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.24.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++1z', 'c++17', 'gnu++1z', 'gnu++17']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++1z', 'c++17']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.25.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++2a', 'gnu++2a']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++2a']
         if version_compare(self.version, '>=1.26.00'):
-            cpp_stds += ['c++20', 'gnu++20']
+            cpp_stds += ['c++20']
 
         key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
         opts.update({
@@ -541,7 +537,9 @@ class ElbrusCPPCompiler(ElbrusCompiler, CPPCompiler):
                 False,
             ),
         })
-        opts[key].choices = cpp_stds
+        std_opt = opts[key]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(cpp_stds, gnu=True)
         return opts
 
     # Elbrus C++ compiler does not have lchmod, but there is only linker warning, not compiler error.
@@ -615,7 +613,9 @@ class IntelCPPCompiler(IntelGnuLikeCompiler, CPPCompiler):
             key.evolve('rtti'): coredata.UserBooleanOption('Enable RTTI', True),
             key.evolve('debugstl'): coredata.UserBooleanOption('STL debug mode', False),
         })
-        opts[key].choices = ['none'] + c_stds + g_stds
+        std_opt = opts[key]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(c_stds + g_stds)
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -682,7 +682,9 @@ class VisualStudioLikeCPPCompilerMixin(CompilerMixinBase):
                 msvc_winlibs,
             ),
         })
-        opts[key.evolve('std')].choices = cpp_stds
+        std_opt = opts[key]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(cpp_stds)
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -846,8 +848,9 @@ class ArmCPPCompiler(ArmCompiler, CPPCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CPPCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c++03', 'c++11']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c++03', 'c++11'])
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
@@ -906,8 +909,9 @@ class TICPPCompiler(TICompiler, CPPCompiler):
 
     def get_options(self) -> 'MutableKeyedOptionDictType':
         opts = CPPCompiler.get_options(self)
-        key = OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)
-        opts[key].choices = ['none', 'c++03']
+        std_opt = opts[OptionKey('std', machine=self.for_machine, lang=self.language)]
+        assert isinstance(std_opt, coredata.UserStdOption), 'for mypy'
+        std_opt.set_versions(['c++03'])
         return opts
 
     def get_option_compile_args(self, options: 'KeyedOptionDictType') -> T.List[str]:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/coredata.py b/mesonbuild/coredata.py
index b0dad1395..4b0f9af58 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/coredata.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/coredata.py
@@ -248,23 +248,17 @@ class UserComboOption(UserOption[str]):
 
 class UserArrayOption(UserOption[T.List[str]]):
     def __init__(self, description: str, value: T.Union[str, T.List[str]],
-                 split_args: bool = False, user_input: bool = False,
+                 split_args: bool = False,
                  allow_dups: bool = False, yielding: bool = DEFAULT_YIELDING,
                  choices: T.Optional[T.List[str]] = None,
                  deprecated: T.Union[bool, str, T.Dict[str, str], T.List[str]] = False):
         super().__init__(description, choices if choices is not None else [], yielding, deprecated)
         self.split_args = split_args
         self.allow_dups = allow_dups
-        self.value = self.validate_value(value, user_input=user_input)
-
-    def listify(self, value: T.Union[str, T.List[str]], user_input: bool = True) -> T.List[str]:
-        # User input is for options defined on the command line (via -D
-        # options). Users can put their input in as a comma separated
-        # string, but for defining options in meson_options.txt the format
-        # should match that of a combo
-        if not user_input and isinstance(value, str) and not value.startswith('['):
-            raise MesonException('Value does not define an array: ' + value)
+        self.set_value(value)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def listify_value(value: T.Union[str, T.List[str]], shlex_split_args: bool = False) -> T.List[str]:
         if isinstance(value, str):
             if value.startswith('['):
                 try:
@@ -274,7 +268,7 @@ class UserArrayOption(UserOption[T.List[str]]):
             elif value == '':
                 newvalue = []
             else:
-                if self.split_args:
+                if shlex_split_args:
                     newvalue = split_args(value)
                 else:
                     newvalue = [v.strip() for v in value.split(',')]
@@ -284,8 +278,11 @@ class UserArrayOption(UserOption[T.List[str]]):
             raise MesonException(f'"{value}" should be a string array, but it is not')
         return newvalue
 
-    def validate_value(self, value: T.Union[str, T.List[str]], user_input: bool = True) -> T.List[str]:
-        newvalue = self.listify(value, user_input)
+    def listify(self, value: T.Any) -> T.List[T.Any]:
+        return self.listify_value(value, self.split_args)
+
+    def validate_value(self, value: T.Union[str, T.List[str]]) -> T.List[str]:
+        newvalue = self.listify(value)
 
         if not self.allow_dups and len(set(newvalue)) != len(newvalue):
             msg = 'Duplicated values in array option is deprecated. ' \
@@ -324,6 +321,59 @@ class UserFeatureOption(UserComboOption):
     def is_auto(self) -> bool:
         return self.value == 'auto'
 
+class UserStdOption(UserComboOption):
+    '''
+    UserOption specific to c_std and cpp_std options. User can set a list of
+    STDs in preference order and it selects the first one supported by current
+    compiler.
+
+    For historical reasons, some compilers (msvc) allowed setting a GNU std and
+    silently fell back to C std. This is now deprecated. Projects that support
+    both GNU and MSVC compilers should set e.g. c_std=gnu11,c11.
+
+    This is not using self.deprecated mechanism we already have for project
+    options because we want to print a warning if ALL values are deprecated, not
+    if SOME values are deprecated.
+    '''
+    def __init__(self, lang: str, all_stds: T.List[str]) -> None:
+        self.lang = lang.lower()
+        self.all_stds = ['none'] + all_stds
+        # Map a deprecated std to its replacement. e.g. gnu11 -> c11.
+        self.deprecated_stds: T.Dict[str, str] = {}
+        super().__init__(f'{lang} language standard to use', ['none'], 'none')
+
+    def set_versions(self, versions: T.List[str], gnu: bool = False, gnu_deprecated: bool = False) -> None:
+        assert all(std in self.all_stds for std in versions)
+        self.choices += versions
+        if gnu:
+            gnu_stds_map = {f'gnu{std[1:]}': std for std in versions}
+            if gnu_deprecated:
+                self.deprecated_stds.update(gnu_stds_map)
+            else:
+                self.choices += gnu_stds_map.keys()
+
+    def validate_value(self, value: T.Union[str, T.List[str]]) -> str:
+        candidates = UserArrayOption.listify_value(value)
+        unknown = [std for std in candidates if std not in self.all_stds]
+        if unknown:
+            raise MesonException(f'Unknown {self.lang.upper()} std {unknown}. Possible values are {self.all_stds}.')
+        # Check first if any of the candidates are not deprecated
+        for std in candidates:
+            if std in self.choices:
+                return std
+        # Fallback to a deprecated std if any
+        for std in candidates:
+            newstd = self.deprecated_stds.get(std)
+            if newstd is not None:
+                mlog.deprecation(
+                    f'None of the values {candidates} are supported by the {self.lang} compiler.\n' +
+                    f'However, the deprecated {std} std currently falls back to {newstd}.\n' +
+                    'This will be an error in the future.\n' +
+                    'If the project supports both GNU and MSVC compilers, a value such as\n' +
+                    '"c_std=gnu11,c11" specifies that GNU is prefered but it can safely fallback to plain c11.')
+                return newstd
+        raise MesonException(f'None of values {candidates} are supported by the {self.lang.upper()} compiler. ' +
+                             f'Possible values are {self.choices}')
 
 class DependencyCacheType(enum.Enum):
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/mcompile.py b/mesonbuild/mcompile.py
index c36c65bdb..19875c22a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mcompile.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mcompile.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
     import argparse
 
 def array_arg(value: str) -> T.List[str]:
-    return UserArrayOption(None, value, allow_dups=True, user_input=True).value
+    return UserArrayOption.listify_value(value)
 
 def validate_builddir(builddir: Path) -> None:
     if not (builddir / 'meson-private' / 'coredata.dat').is_file():
diff --git a/mesonbuild/optinterpreter.py b/mesonbuild/optinterpreter.py
index 8377614fe..8ad84aaa8 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/optinterpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/optinterpreter.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from . import coredata
 from . import mesonlib
 from . import mparser
 from . import mlog
-from .interpreterbase import FeatureNew, typed_pos_args, typed_kwargs, ContainerTypeInfo, KwargInfo
+from .interpreterbase import FeatureNew, FeatureDeprecated, typed_pos_args, typed_kwargs, ContainerTypeInfo, KwargInfo
 from .interpreter.type_checking import NoneType, in_set_validator
 
 if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -266,6 +266,11 @@ class OptionInterpreter:
     def string_array_parser(self, description: str, args: T.Tuple[bool, _DEPRECATED_ARGS], kwargs: StringArrayArgs) -> coredata.UserOption:
         choices = kwargs['choices']
         value = kwargs['value'] if kwargs['value'] is not None else choices
+        if isinstance(value, str):
+            if value.startswith('['):
+                FeatureDeprecated('String value for array option', '1.3.0').use(self.subproject)
+            else:
+                raise mesonlib.MesonException('Value does not define an array: ' + value)
         return coredata.UserArrayOption(description, value,
                                         choices=choices,
                                         yielding=args[0],
diff --git a/test cases/unit/114 c cpp stds/meson.build b/test cases/unit/114 c cpp stds/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b15efc08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/unit/114 c cpp stds/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+project('c cpp stds', 'c', 'cpp',
+    default_options: [
+        'c_std=gnu89,c89',
+        'cpp_std=gnu++98,vc++11',
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/unittests/allplatformstests.py b/unittests/allplatformstests.py
index b5252f776..acab026e9 100644
--- a/unittests/allplatformstests.py
+++ b/unittests/allplatformstests.py
@@ -4820,3 +4820,36 @@ class AllPlatformTests(BasePlatformTests):
             self.assertNotEqual(olddata, newdata)
             olddata = newdata
             oldmtime = newmtime
+
+    def test_c_cpp_stds(self):
+        testdir = os.path.join(self.unit_test_dir, '114 c cpp stds')
+        self.init(testdir)
+        # Invalid values should fail whatever compiler we have
+        with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError):
+            self.setconf('-Dc_std=invalid')
+        with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError):
+            self.setconf('-Dc_std=c89,invalid')
+        with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError):
+            self.setconf('-Dc_std=c++11')
+        env = get_fake_env()
+        cc = detect_c_compiler(env, MachineChoice.HOST)
+        if cc.get_id() == 'msvc':
+            # default_option should have selected those
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('c_std'), 'c89')
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('cpp_std'), 'vc++11')
+            # This is deprecated but works for C
+            self.setconf('-Dc_std=gnu99')
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('c_std'), 'c99')
+            # C++ however never accepted that fallback
+            with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError):
+                self.setconf('-Dcpp_std=gnu++11')
+            # The first supported std should be selected
+            self.setconf('-Dcpp_std=gnu++11,vc++11,c++11')
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('cpp_std'), 'vc++11')
+        elif cc.get_id() == 'gcc':
+            # default_option should have selected those
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('c_std'), 'gnu89')
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('cpp_std'), 'gnu++98')
+            # The first supported std should be selected
+            self.setconf('-Dcpp_std=c++11,gnu++11,vc++11')
+            self.assertEqual(self.getconf('cpp_std'), 'c++11')