Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

chancel

American  
[chan-suhl, chahn-] / ˈtʃæn səl, ˈtʃɑn- /

noun

  1. the space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials.

chancel British  
/ ˈtʃɑːnsəl /

noun

  1. the part of a church containing the altar, sanctuary, and choir, usually separated from the nave and transepts by a screen

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of chancel

1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French < Late Latin cancellus lattice, railing or screen before the altar of a church, Latin cancell ( ī ) (plural) lattice, railing, grating; see cancel

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Chancel Mbemba headed Masuaku's cross over the target, and the Leopards needed Mpasi to react smartly when Hamdi Fathi's clever flick allowed Zizo to accurately fire in a fierce shot from a tight angle.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2024

Central defender Chancel Mbemba put Marseille ahead in the 10th after France midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi headed on a cross.

From Washington Times • Jan. 11, 2023

Dec. 2 ‘Messiah Sing-Along’ Lift your voice alongside the Westwood Chancel Choir in a performance of Handel’s classic oratorio.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2022

Son has scored 35 goals in 104 internationals but hasn’t played since Nov. 2 when he sustained a fracture around his left eye in a collision with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba in a Champions League match.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 23, 2022

In 1726 the "old wall at the East end of the Chancel" was taken down, and foundations were dug upon which an altar-piece was to be erected.

From Bell's Cathedrals: The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury with some Account of the Priory Church of Deerhurst Gloucestershire by Massé, H. J. L. J. (Henri Jean Louis Joseph)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.