chancel

• chauncel (archaic)

From Old French chancel.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃɑːnsəl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtʃænsəl/

chancel (plural chancels)

1. The space around the altar in a church, 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.
   • 1577, Raphaell Holinshed [i.e., Raphael Holinshed]; Richard Stanihurst, “[The Historie of Irelande.] The Thirde Booke of the Historie of Ireland, Comprising the Raigne of Henry the Eyght: [...].”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande. Conteyning, The Description and Chronicles of England, from the First Inhabiting unto the Conquest. The Description and Chronicles of Scotland, from the First Originall of the Scottes Nation, till the Yeare of Our Lorde. 1571. The Description and Chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the First Originall of that Nation, untill the Yeare. 1547. Faithfully Gathered and Set Forth, volume I, London: Imprinted [by Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, OCLC 55195564, pages 77–78, column 2:

     The Citizens in their rage, imagining that euery poſt in the Churche had bin one of ye Souldyers, ſhot habbe or nabbe at randon^{[sic, meaning random]} uppe to the Roode lofte, and to the Chancell, leauing ſome of theyr arrowes ſticking in the Images.

   • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 20, in The Dust of Conflict‎:

     Hester Earle and Violet Wayne were moving about the aisle with bundles of wheat-ears and streamers of ivy, for the harvest thanksgiving was shortly to be celebrated, while the vicar stood waiting for their directions on the chancel steps with a great handful of crimson gladioli.

• apse
• presbytery
• sanctuary

• cancel, chanceau

From Old French chancel, from Latin cancellus.

chancel m (plural chancels)

1. chancel

• “chancel” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

• cancel

From Latin cancellus.

chancel 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)

1. chancel

• French: chancel, cancel, chanceau
• → Breton: kañsell
• → English: chancel, chauncel
• → Scottish Gaelic: seansal
• → Spanish: cancel