chapter

[ chap-ter ]
See synonyms for: chapterchapters on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a main division of a book, treatise, or the like, usually bearing a number or title.

  2. a branch, usually restricted to a given locality, of a society, organization, fraternity, etc.: the Connecticut chapter of the American Red Cross.

  1. an important portion or division of anything: The atomic bomb opened a new chapter in history.

  2. Ecclesiastical.

    • an assembly of the monks in a monastery, of those in a province, or of the entire order.

    • a general assembly of the canons of a church.

    • a meeting of the elected representatives of the provinces or houses of a religious community.

    • the body of such canons or representatives collectively.

  3. any general assembly.

  4. Liturgy. a short scriptural quotation read at various parts of the office, as after the last psalm in the service of lauds, prime, tierce, etc.

  5. Horology. any of the marks or numerals designating the hours on a dial.

verb (used with object)
  1. to divide into or arrange in chapters.

Origin of chapter

1
1175–1225; Middle English chapiter, variant of chapitre<Old French <Latin capitulum little head (capit-, stem of caput head + -ulum-ule); in Late Latin: section of a book; in Medieval Latin: section read at a meeting, hence, the meeting, especially one of canons, hence, a body of canons

Other words for chapter

Other words from chapter

  • chap·ter·al, adjective
  • un·chap·ter, verb (used with object)
  • un·chap·tered, adjective

Words Nearby chapter

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use chapter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for chapter

chapter

/ (ˈtʃæptə) /


noun
  1. a division of a written work, esp a narrative, usually titled or numbered

  2. a sequence of events having a common attribute: a chapter of disasters

  1. chapter of accidents

    • a series of misfortunes

    • the unforeseeable course of events

  2. an episode or period in a life, history, etc

  3. a numbered reference to that part of a Parliamentary session which relates to a specified Act of Parliament

  4. a branch of some societies, clubs, etc, esp of a secret society

  5. the collective body or a meeting of the canons of a cathedral or collegiate church or of the members of a monastic or knightly order: Related adjective: capitular

  6. a general assembly of some organization

  7. chapter and verse exact authority for an action or statement

verb
  1. (tr) to divide into chapters

Origin of chapter

1
C13: from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum, literally: little head, hence, section of writing, from caput head; in Medieval Latin: chapter of scripture or of a religious rule, a gathering for the reading of this, hence, assemblage of clergy

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