— chaplaincy, chaplainship, chaplainry , n.
/chap"lin/ , n.
1. an ecclesiastic attached to the chapel of a royal court, college, etc., or to a military unit.
2. a person who says the prayer, invocation, etc., for an organization or at an assembly.
[ bef. 1100; ME chapelain cappellanus custodian of St. Martin's cloak (see CHAPEL, -AN); r. OE capellan ]