chancel

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈtʃɑːnsəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈtʃænsəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(chan′səl, chän′-)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
chan•cel /ˈtʃænsəl/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Architecturethe space around the altar of a church.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
chan•cel  (chan′səl, chän′-),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Architecturethe space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials.
  • Late Latin cancellus lattice, railing or screen before the altar of a church, Latin cancell(ī) (plural) lattice, railing, grating; see cancel
  • Middle French
  • Middle English 1275–1325
chan′celed, chan′celled, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
chancel / ˈtʃɑːnsəl/
  1. the part of a church containing the altar, sanctuary, and choir, usually separated from the nave and transepts by a screen
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French, from Latin cancellī (plural) lattice
'chancel' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aisle - ambulatory - bema - chancellor - choir - dossal - nave - prone - recession - recessional - rood - rood arch - rood screen - sacrarium - sanctuary - sedile - stall

Forum discussions with the word(s) "chancel" in the title:


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