chancel

views updated May 14 2018

chancel. Liturgical eastern part of a church, used by those officiating in the services, and often defined by a cancellus (from which the term is derived) or screen. It contains the sanctuary and altar, and often embraces the choir, especially in larger churches where the chancel is part of the main body of the building east of the crossing.

Bibliography

F. Bond (1916)

chancel

views updated Jun 11 2018

chan·cel / ˈchansəl/ • n. the part of a church near the altar, reserved for the clergy and choir, and typically separated from the nave by steps or a screen.

chancel

views updated May 14 2018

chancel the part of a church near the altar, reserved for the clergy and choir, and typically separated from the nave by steps or a screen. The word is recorded from Middle English, and comes (via Old French) from Latin cancelli ‘crossbars’.

chancel

views updated May 14 2018

chancel part of a church reserved for clergy and choir. XIV. — OF. chancel (now in latinized form cancel) :- L. cancellī lattice, grating, dim. of cancer lattice, perh. dissimilated form of carcer barrier, prison.