chapter

noun

chap·​ter ˈchap-tər 

1

a

: a main division of a book

b

: something resembling a chapter in being a significant specified unit

a new chapter in my life

2

a

: a regular meeting of the canons of a cathedral or collegiate church or of the members of a religious house

b

: the body of canons of a cathedral or collegiate church

3

: a local branch of an organization

Synonyms

• affiliate
• branch
• cell
• council
• local

Examples of chapter in a Sentence

Chapter three deals with the country's economy.

Please read the first two chapters of your textbook for our next class.

Becoming a parent opened up a whole new chapter in my life.

a difficult chapter in European history

Recent Examples on the Web

In a chapter about a rare lung disease, the author commented that perhaps a cure could be discovered as quickly as the cure for tuberculosis was found at Sea View Hospital on Staten Island in the 1950s. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2025

In Pablo Larraín’s Maria Callas biopic, which is now streaming on Netflix, Jolie stepped into the shoes of the opera legend, portraying the final chapter of the singer's life in Paris leading up to her death in 1977. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025

The book starts with a dedication to Dieter, before the first chapter tells a twisted version of his (brief) life’s story. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Feb. 2025

And no history of the NFL can be written without the Giants’ 2007 toppling of the undefeated New England Patriots in the first chapter. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chapitre, from Anglo-French chapitre, chapitle, from Late Latin capitulum division of a book & Medieval Latin, meeting place of canons, from Latin, diminutive of capit-, caput head — more at head

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing chapter

• a chapter of accidents
• chapter and verse
• sub-chapter

Kids Definition

chapter

noun

chap·​ter ˈchap-tər 

1

a

: a main division of a book or of a law code

b

: something like a chapter in being a significant unit

a chapter in my life

2

: a local branch of an organization