chaplain

[chap-lin]

noun

1. an ecclesiastic attached to the chapel of a royal court, college, etc., or to a military unit.

2. a person who says the prayer, invocation, etc., for an organization or at an assembly.

chaplain

/ ˈtʃæplɪn /

noun

1. a Christian clergyman attached to a private chapel of a prominent person or institution or ministering to a military body, professional group, etc

   a military chaplain

   a prison chaplain

Other Word Forms

• chaplaincy noun
• chaplainship noun
• chaplainry noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chaplain¹

before 1100; Middle English chapelain < Middle French < Late Latin cappellānus custodian of St. Martin's cloak ( chapel, -an ); replacing Old English capellan < Late Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of chaplain¹

C12: from Old French chapelain, from Late Latin cappellānus, from cappella _chapel

Example Sentences

Trafficante said that she now works as a chaplain who ministers to people in shelters and on the streets.

Read more on Salon

Canon David Nason was a close friend of Dame Patricia for more than 30 years and the pair met through his role as a theatre chaplain.

Read more on BBC

There he served as the site administrator for the Urban Interfaith Chaplaincy Program, where he helped train the next generation of chaplains.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For her part, the lifelong nun downplayed any celestial impact even when leading the Ramblers in pregame prayers in her role as team chaplain.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Kausas, the son of Lithuanian immigrants—his father is a chaplain, his mother runs a nonprofit—planned to live at his office.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cleric 
• pastor 
• preacher 
• priest 
• rabbi