chaplain

noun

chap·​lain ˈcha-plən 

1

: a clergyman in charge of a chapel

2

: a clergyman officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court

3

: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society)

4

: a clergyman appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function)

chaplaincy

ˈcha-plən-sē 

noun

Examples of chaplain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The authors also traced some of the history of this copy of The Aberdeen Breviary, including its use at one point by a rural chaplain at Aberdeen Cathedral, before a Scottish Catholic acquired it as a family heirloom. —Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024

He and his first wife had been married by a military chaplain. —Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024

Jay Rowe, a chaplain from a ministry called Racers for Christ (RFC), moved from dragster to dragster praying with drivers before their run. —Rachel Kushner, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024

For the agents who got their chaplain pins last week, those standards now involve a higher calling, too. —Giovanna Dell’orto, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chapelein, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin cappellanus, from cappella

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

chaplain

noun

chap·​lain ˈchap-lən 

1

: a member of the clergy officially attached to a special group (as the army)

2

: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as for a club)