chancel
[chan-suh l, chahn-]
- the space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials.
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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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
altar, shrine, temple, sanctuary, synagogue, parish, mosque, chapel, sanctum, chancel, basilica, minster, oratory, mission, abbey, fold, cathedral, tabernacle, bethel, chantryExamples from the Web for chancel
Contemporary Examples
My chair was near the chancel rail, I now turned toward the west end of the church.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the ShowRobert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014
Since 1996, Bolding has been director of the Chancel Choir (renamed The Inspirational Voices of Abyssinian in 2008).
Historical Examples
The nave, then as now, was the charge of the parish; the chancel, of the rector.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward IICharlotte Mary Yonge
Saxon arches separating the nave from the aisles and chancel are plain.
English VillagesP. H. Ditchfield
Many were cruciform, and consisted of nave, transepts, and chancel.
English VillagesP. H. Ditchfield
She saw them sitting in their pew far down toward the chancel.
Bride of the MistletoeJames Lane Allen
The old place was dimly lighted, but the brothers occupied the chancel only.
The ChristianHall Caine
chancel
- the part of a church containing the altar, sanctuary, and choir, usually separated from the nave and transepts by a screen
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French, from Latin cancellī (plural) lattice
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for chancel
n.
c.1300, "part of the church around the altar," from Old French chancel, from Late Latin cancellus "lattice," from Latin cancelli (plural) "grating, bars" (see cancel); sense extended in Late Latin from the lattice-work that separated the choir from the nave in a church to the space itself.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper