chancery

chan·cery

noun \ˈchan(t)-sə-rē, ˈchan(t)s-rē\

plural chan·cer·ies

Definition of CHANCERY

1

: a record office for public archives or those of ecclesiastical, legal, or diplomatic proceedings

2

a capitalized : a high court of equity in England and Wales with common-law functions and jurisdiction over causes in equity b : a court of equity in the American judicial system c : the principles and practice of judicial equity

3

a : a chancellor's court or office or the building in which it is located b : the office in which the business of a Roman Catholic diocese is transacted and recorded c : the office of an embassy : chancellery 3

— in chancery

1

: in litigation in a court of chancery; also : under the superintendence of the lord chancellor <a ward in chancery>

2

: in a hopeless predicament

Origin of CHANCERY

Middle English chancerie, alteration of chancelerie chancellery, from Anglo-French, from chanceler

First Known Use: 14th century