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chancel

 - 4 dictionary results

chan⋅cel

  [chan-suhl, chahn-]
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–noun
the space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME < MF < LL cancellus lattice, railing or screen before the altar of a church, L cancell(ī) (pl.) lattice, railing, grating; see cancel

Related forms:
chanceled, chancelled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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chan·cel   (chān'səl)   
n.  The space around the altar of a church for the clergy and sometimes the choir, often enclosed by a lattice or railing.

[Middle English chauncel, from Old French chancel, from Late Latin cancellus, latticework, sing. of Latin cancellī; see cancel.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

chancel 
1303, from O.Fr. chancel, from L.L. cancellus "lattice," from L. cancelli (pl.) "grating, bars" (see cancel), for the lattice-work that separated the chancel from the nave in a church.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia

chancel

portion of a church that contains the choir, often at the eastern end. Before modern changes in church practice, only clergy and choir members were permitted in the chancel. The name derives from the Latin word for "lattice," describing the screen that during some eras of church history divided the chancel from the nave and crossing.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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