chapel

noun

chap·​el ˈcha-pəl 

1

: a subordinate or private place of worship: such as

a

: a place of worship serving a residence or institution

b

: a small house of worship usually associated with a main church

c

: a room or recess in a church for meditation and prayer or small religious services

2

: a place of worship used by a Christian group other than an established church

a nonconformist chapel

3

: a choir of singers belonging to a chapel

4

: a chapel service or assembly at a school or college

5

: an association of the employees in a printing office

6

a

: funeral home

b

: a room for funeral services in a funeral home

Did you know?

Chapel is ultimately derived from the Late Latin word cappa, meaning "cloak." How did we get from a garment to a building? The answer to this question has to do with a shrine created to hold the sacred cloak of St. Martin of Tours. In Medieval Latin, this shrine was called cappella (from a diminutive of cappa, meaning "short cloak or cape") in reference to the relic it contained. Later, the meaning of cappella broadened to include any building that housed a sacred relic, and eventually to a place of worship. Anglo-French picked up the term as chapele, which in turn passed into English as chapel in the 13th century. In case you are wondering, the term a cappella, meaning "without instrumental accompaniment," entered English from Italian, where it literally means "in chapel style."

Examples of chapel in a Sentence

a wedding chapel in Las Vegas

Church services will be held in the chapel this week.

Recent Examples on the Web

When a fire nearly destroyed Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2019, a collection of 17th-century masterpieces was hanging in its dim side chapels. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024

Students are required to attend chapel a certain number of times each semester. —Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

The King and his wife, Queen Camilla, waved to a crowd of onlookers outside the chapel, and chatted with the visitors after the service. —Simmone Shah, TIME, 31 Mar. 2024

The royal couple waved delightedly to a crowd of well-wishers before making their way into the chapel through the Galilee Porch. —Max Foster, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024

This was my favorite kind of cave — not a cathedral but a chapel, damp and close as a pair of cupped hands. —Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024

Gwen Stefani Shares Sweet ‘Oklahoma Life’ Moments with Blake Shelton — and Gives a Peek at Their Easter Decor Shelton and Stefani tied the knot in a backyard chapel on their ranch in July 2021. —Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024

She was buried alongside her son in a chapel at the abbey. —Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024

As the chaos dissipated, the smell of pepper spray in the chapel still lingered, so the ceremony was moved into the foyer. —Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French chapele, from Medieval Latin cappella, from diminutive of Late Latin cappa cloak; from the cloak of St. Martin of Tours preserved as a sacred relic in a chapel built for that purpose

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chapel

• chapel of ease
• lady chapel

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Kids Definition

chapel

noun

chap·​el ˈchap-əl 

1

: a building or place for prayer or special religious services

2

: a religious service or assembly at a school or college

Etymology

Middle English chapel "chapel," from early French chapele (same meaning), from Latin cappella "chapel," literally, "little cloak," from cappa "cloak, head covering"; so called from the structure built to house a revered cloak of Saint Martin of Tours — related to cape entry 2, chaperone