chancel

== English == === Alternative forms === chauncel (archaic) === Etymology === From Old French chancel. Doublet of cancellus. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtʃɑːnsəl/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃænsəl/ Rhymes: -ɑːnsəl, -ænsəl === Noun === chancel (plural chancels) The space around the altar in a church or cathedral, often enclosed, for use by the clergy and the choir. In medieval cathedrals the chancel was usually enclosed or blocked off from the nave by an altar screen. Holonyms: church, cathedral Near-synonyms: presbytery, sanctuary, apse (all broadly synonymous) (broadly) The entire end of the church in which the altar stands, including the apse and the ambulatory. Meronyms: presbytery, sanctuary, apse, ambulatory (precisely) A certain central portion of that end of the church, excluding the apse and the ambulatory. Synonyms: presbytery, sanctuary Comeronyms: apse, ambulatory ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== == French == === Alternative forms === cancel, chanceau === Etymology === Inherited from Old French chancel, from Latin cancellus. === Noun === chancel m (plural chancels) chancel === Further reading === “chancel”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Old French == === Alternative forms === cancel === Etymology === From Latin cancellus. === Noun === chancel oblique singular, m (oblique plural chanceaus or chanceax or chanciaus or chanciax or chancels, nominative singular chanceaus or chanceax or chanciaus or chanciax or chancels, nominative plural chancel) chancel ==== Descendants ==== French: chancel, cancel, chanceau → Breton: kañsell → English: chancel, chauncel (archaic) → Scottish Gaelic: seansal → Spanish: cancel