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chapel Definition

chapel (c̸hapəl)

noun

  1. a place of Christian worship subordinate to and smaller than a church
    1. a room or building used as a place of worship, as in a hospital, school, or army post
    2. a room in a funeral home for funeral services
    1. a room or recess in a church, set apart for special services and having its own altar
    2. a similar room in some Jewish synagogues
  2. a service in a chapel, or any religious service, as at a school
  3. the singers of a private chapel, collectively
  4. a local chapter of a printers' union
  5. in Great Britain, any place of worship for those who are not members of an established church

Etymology: ME & OFr chapelle < ML cappella, dim. of cappa, cape < LL: orig., sanctuary in which the cappa or cope of St. Martin was preserved; then, any sanctuary

chapel Synonyms

chapel

n.

place of worship, oratory, God's house; see church 1.

chapel Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • ease: A chapel of ease is recorded on the site in 1250.

Converse of object

  • dedicate: But the south aisle here may actually have been built as a chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross.
  • erect: The King frequently saw the Troops exercise, and his Majesty had a tent and chapel erected on the Heath for his own use.
  • ruin: The old hamlet lay around the ruined chapel to the south, on the county boundary, where there are still traces of cottages.
  • found: License to John Lovekyn to appropriate twelve librates of land to the chapel founded and built by his father.
  • build: At the age of 70 years he arrived home to fulfill his dream of building a chapel for the people of the Braes.
  • convert: The family celebrated the baptism in a converted chapel in the grounds of the family home.

Adjective modifier

  • Nonconformist: Landlords could also refuse to let their tenants have land on which to build Nonconformist chapels and meeting houses.
  • Baptist: In the village is a small Baptist chapel, rebuilt in 1832, in which service is performed monthly.
  • dissenting: The laundry is an adaptation in 1887-8 by C.E. Davis of a dissenting chapel.
  • mortuary: Dawson's view was that this was solely a mortuary chapel built at the beginning of the 18thC.
  • Unitarian: The Unitarian chapel, Ipswich, is located in Friars Street beside the Willis Faber building.
  • Independent: The room in which the school is held is over a large stable, joining an Independent chapel.

Modifies a noun

  • choir: As a Welshman originating from the Rhondda he has sung with both church and chapel choirs since the age of eight years old.

Noun used with modifier

  • chantry: Another crosshead is built into the east wall of the chantry chapel, outside.
  • non-conformist: Photo by Peter Wood, May 2005 Chapel Rolls The names on two Non-conformist chapel memorials are listed here.
  • crematorium: Crematorium chapels are not consecrated but are usually dedicated.
  • wayside: Holy Sepulcher was not built as a parish church, but as a wayside chapel, or oratory.
  • Methodist: A possible point of confusion I: the former St Peter's Street methodist chapel, a survivor.
  • chancel: In the south chancel chapel is the famous St Edmund bench end, attached to a modern bench.
chapel Quotes

I went to the Garden of Love, And saw what I never had seen: A chapel was built in the midst Where I used to play on the green.

—Blake,William

Wherever God erects a house of prayer, The Devil always builds a chapel there; And 'twill be found, upon examination, The latter hast the largest congregation.

—Defoe, Daniel

I've finished that chapel I was painting. The Pope is quite satisfied.

—Michelangelo full name Michelangelo Buonarroti

Browse dictionary entries near chapel

  1. chapeau
  2. chape
  3. chapbook
  4. chapati
  5. chaparral pea
  6. chaparral
  7. chaparejos
  8. chap
  9. chaotic
  10. chaos theory
  1. chaperon
  2. chapfallen
  3. chapiter
  4. chaplain
  5. chaplet
  6. chapleted
  7. Chaplin
  8. chapman
  9. chaps
  10. chapter