■ noun
1》 a small building or room used for Christian worship in an institution or private house.
↘a part of a large church or cathedral with its own altar and dedication.
↘ Brit. a place of worship for Nonconformist congregations.
2》 Brit. the members or branch of a print or newspaper trade union at a particular place of work.
Word History
The words ~ and cape are closely linked, both deriving from Latin cappa 'covering for the head; cap or cape'. The first sanctuary to be called a ~ was in 6th-century France; it was named after the cape of St Martin preserved within it, highly valued as a sacred relic by the Frankish kings. The Latin word cappella , 'little cape', was applied to the sanctuary itself, and eventually to any holy oratory or sanctuary, entering English in the 13th century (via Old French ~e) in the forms ~e and ~ . The word chaplain comes from Latin cappellanus , that is, an attendant charged with guarding the cape.