We report on efficient, narrow linewidth exciton recombination in GaAs/AlGaAs V-groove quantum wire light-emitting diodes at room temperature. The high efficiency is due to a selective carrier injection mechanism resulting in an estimated internal quantum efficiency of similar to 20% with an electroluminescence (EL) linewidth as narrow as 15 meV. The thermal broadening contribution to the linewidth is 6 meV due to exciton scattering with optical phonons. An analysis of the EL peak shift in a magnetic field points out the typical superlinear behavior of the excitonic binding energy for a quantum wire. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.