chancel

[ chan-suhl, chahn- ]

/ ˈtʃæn səl, ˈtʃɑn- /

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See synonyms for chancel on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

OTHER WORDS FROM chancel

chanceled, chancelled, adjectivesub·chan·cel, noun

Words nearby chancel

Chanaan, chanc., chance, chanceful, chance it, chancel, chancellery, chancellor, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Chancellor of the Exchequer, chancellorship

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use chancel in a sentence

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 Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Since 1996, Bolding has been director of the Chancel Choir (renamed The Inspirational Voices of Abyssinian in 2008).
Women in the World Speakers|The Daily Beast|March 8, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Dickson instantly fell upon the English in the chancel, and a neighbour followed his example; but both were slain.
King Robert the Bruce|A. F. Murison
The Solo organ and one-third of the Pedal organ are under the first arch on the north side of the chancel.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller

The Altar organ, which can be played through the Solo organ keys, is under the second arch on the north side of the chancel.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
The keyboards are on the north side of the chancel, inside the organ case, and can be seen from the "whispering gallery."
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
It is contained in two cases on each side of the triforium of the chancel and blown by an electric installation of 85 h.p.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller

British Dictionary definitions for chancel

chancel

/ (ˈtʃɑːnsəl) /

noun

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

Word Origin for chancel

C14: from Old French, from Latin cancellī (plural) lattice

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

chancel

Origin of chancel

OTHER WORDS FROM chancel

Words nearby chancel

Words related to chancel

How to use chancel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for chancel

Word Origin for chancel