chapel

UK: /ˈtʃæp^əl/ US: /ˈtʃæpəl/ ,(chap′əl)

Inflections of 'chapel' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

chapels

v 3rd person singular

chapelling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

chapeling

v pres p (US)

chapelled

v past (Mainly UK)

chapeled

v past (US)

chapelled

v past p (Mainly UK)

chapeled

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

chap•el /ˈtʃæpəl/   n. [countable]

1. Religion, Architecture a separate part of a church, or a small structure like a church, used for special religious services.
2. Religion, Architecture a room or building for worship that is in or is part of another institution, such as a hospital:
   We waited in the hospital chapel.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

chap•el  (chap′əl), n., v., -eled, -el•ing or (esp. Brit.) -elled, -el•ling, adj. 
n.  

1. Religion a private or subordinate place of prayer or worship;
   oratory.
2. Religion, Architecture a separately dedicated part of a church, or a small independent churchlike edifice, devoted to special services.
3. Religion, Architecture a room or building for worship in an institution, palace, etc.
4. Religion (in Great Britain) a place of worship for members of various dissenting Protestant churches, as Baptists or Methodists.
5. Religion a separate place of public worship dependent on the church of a parish.
6. Religion a religious service in a chapel:
   Don't be late for chapel!
7. Religion a funeral home or the room in which funeral services are held.
8. Music and Dance a choir or orchestra of a chapel, court, etc.
9. a print shop or printing house.
10. an association of employees in a print shop for dealing with their interests, problems, etc.

v.t.  

11. Nautical, Naval Terms to maneuver (a sailing vessel taken aback) by the helm alone until the wind can be recovered on the original tack.

adj. 

12. Religion (in England) belonging to any of various dissenting Protestant sects.

• Late Latin cappella hooded cloak, equivalent. to capp(a) (see cap¹) + -ella diminutive suffix; first applied to the sanctuary where the cloak of St. Martin (4th-century bishop of Tours) was kept as a relic
• Old French
• Middle English chapele 1175–1225

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

chapel / ˈtʃæp^əl/ noun

1. a place of Christian worship in a larger building, esp a place set apart, with a separate altar, in a church or cathedral
2. a similar place of worship in or attached to a large house or institution, such as a college, hospital, or prison
3. a church subordinate to a parish church
4. (in Britain) a Nonconformist place of worship
5. Nonconformist religious practices or doctrine
6. (as adjective)
   Compare church8
7. the members of a trade union in a particular newspaper office, printing house, etc

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French chapele, from Late Latin cappella, diminutive of cappa cloak (see cap¹); originally denoting the sanctuary where the cloak of St Martin of Tours was kept as a relic