chaplain

noun

chap·​lain ˈcha-plən 

1

: a clergyperson in charge of a chapel

2

: a clergyperson officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court

3

: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society)

4

: a clergyperson appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function)

chaplaincy

ˈcha-plən-sē 

noun

Examples of chaplain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

John Wardle, the eighty-two-year-old chaplain of the Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department, had handed the Governor a handwritten letter signed by every member of the department. —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

Chips and Salsa For Thomas Settles, chaplain for the University of Georgia football team, chips and salsa are a must any time of day or year. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025

The volunteer chaplain at KHH, Reverend David Clark, was able to secure a special wedding license for the couple in just 48 hours. —Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025

The demonstration on the bridge was held in support of Imam Ayman Soliman, an Egyptian immigrant and former Cincinnati Children's chaplain who was detained by ICE several days before. —Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chapelein, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin cappellanus, from cappella

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for chaplain

• caplin

Kids Definition

chaplain

noun

chap·​lain ˈchap-lən 

1

: a member of the clergy officially attached to a special group (as the army)

2

: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as for a club)