chapel
chapel — noun
1. a small room or separate building inside a larger institution — such as a school
a small room or separate building inside a larger institution — such as a school, hospital, prison, university, or private house — that is set aside for Christian worship, prayer, or quiet contemplation, and often contains a dedicated table for communion.
The hospital chapel stays open at night for those who need a quiet place.
collocation: hospital chapel + stays open
Priya's wedding ceremony took place in the private chapel of her family's estate.
Leila lit a candle in the school chapel the night before her final exams.
The old college chapel has a stained-glass window donated in 1925.
Rohan found the prison chapel to be the only place with any peace.
- church
a larger, freestanding building for regular public worship; chapel is typically smaller or part of a larger complex
- oratory
a private chapel for individual prayer, often smaller than a standard chapel; more formal term
- sanctuary
the most sacred part of a church or temple; not a synonym for the whole building
文法句型
chapel + noun (as modifier): chapel roof / chapel bell / chapel service
用法筆記
Frequently used as a modifier in compound nouns such as hospital chapel, school chapel, college chapel, prison chapel, and wedding chapel. Unlike church, chapel often implies a smaller or subordinate place of worship.
常見錯誤
2. a place of Christian worship that belongs to a Protestant denomination independe
a place of Christian worship that belongs to a Protestant denomination independent of both the established Anglican Church and the Catholic hierarchy — typically Methodist, Baptist, or Presbyterian congregations, especially in the United Kingdom.
The stone chapel on the hill has served local Methodists for a century.
variety note: 'chapel' for Nonconformist churches, chiefly British
Kofi's grandfather was a deacon at the Welsh chapel where his parents first met.
Small Baptist chapels dot the countryside throughout rural Wales and northern England.
Tomás visited the village chapel where his grandmother had been baptised seventy years earlier.
That red-brick chapel on Station Road was built by the local Congregationalist community in 1889.
- meeting house
a place of worship used by Quakers or some Nonconformist groups; similar non-established function
- church
the preferred term for Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox buildings; chapel is deliberately used by Nonconformist denominations
文法句型
the + chapel: the village chapel / the local chapel
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers specifically to a freestanding building that functions as the main place of worship for a Nonconformist congregation, not a room within a larger institution. Common in Wales, Scotland, and parts of northern England. The term chapel rather than church is a marker of denominational identity.
常見錯誤
3. a short religious service or formal gathering held in a chapel, especially as a
a short religious service or formal gathering held in a chapel, especially as a daily or weekly requirement for students at a school, college, or university that has a religious foundation.
Attendance at morning chapel is required for all boarding students at the academy.
pattern: attendance at + chapel + required
Diego gave a reading during Friday's chapel service about the importance of kindness.
Yara's parents visited the college to attend the annual parents' weekend chapel.
After evening chapel, Hana walked back to her dormitory with a small group of friends.
Theo was asked to play the piano for next week's Wednesday chapel assembly.
- assembly
a formal gathering of students, not necessarily religious; broader in scope
- service
a religious ceremony; more generic than chapel
- prayer meeting
a smaller, less formal gathering for prayer, usually not part of a school schedule
文法句型
attend + chapel
go to + chapel
morning / afternoon / evening + chapel
用法筆記
In this sense chapel often behaves like an uncountable noun — phrases such as 'go to chapel' or 'after chapel' do not need an article. Compare with sense 1, where chapel is always a countable location (a chapel / the chapel).