chancel

chancel
—chanceled, chancelled, adj.
/chan"seuhl, chahn"-/, n.
the space about the altar of a church, usually enclosed, for the clergy and other officials.
[1275-1325; ME < MF < LL cancellus lattice, railing or screen before the altar of a church, L cancell(i) (pl.) lattice, railing, grating; see CANCEL]

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 portion of a church that contains the choir, often at the eastern end. Before modern changes in church practice, only clergy and choir members were permitted in the chancel. The name derives from the Latin word for “lattice,” describing the screen that during some eras of church history divided the chancel from the nave and crossing.

      This lattice is now more commonly called a chancel screen, which during the Middle Ages largely replaced a chancel rail to set the area apart. Modern churches tend to have neither screen nor significant rail, but the area is still called the chancel, and the word today is often interchangeable with choir or sanctuary.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Chancel — Chan cel, n. [OF. chancel, F. chanceau, cancel, fr. L. cancelli lattices, crossbars. (The chancel was formerly inclosed with lattices or crossbars) See {Cancel}, v. t.] (Arch.) (a) That part of a church, reserved for the use of the clergy, where… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Chancel — • Part of the choir near the altar of a church, where the deacons or sub deacons stand to assist the officiating priest Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Chancel     Chancel      …   Catholic encyclopedia

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  • chancel — (n.) c.1300, from O.Fr. chancel, from L.L. cancellus lattice, from L. cancelli (pl.) grating, bars (see CANCEL (Cf. cancel)); so called for the lattice work that separated the chancel from the nave in a church …   Etymology dictionary

  • chancel — [chan′səl] n. [ME chauncel < OFr chancel < LL cancellus < L cancelli, pl., lattices: see CANCEL] the part of a church around the altar, usually at the east end, reserved for the use of the clergy and the choir: it is sometimes set off by …   English World dictionary

  • chancel — CHANCEL. s. m. Voyez Cancel …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • chancel — ► NOUN ▪ the part of a church near the altar, reserved for the clergy and choir. ORIGIN from Latin cancelli crossbars …   English terms dictionary

  • Chancel — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Chancel (homonymie). Chancel de l Église Sainte Sabine de Rome …   Wikipédia en Français

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