n. 1. A member of the clergy attached to a chapel. 2. a. A member of the clergy who conducts religious services for an institution, such as a prison or hospital. b. A lay person who is appointed to provide spiritual leadership and counseling to members of an institution, as at a university. c. A member of the clergy who is connected with a royal court or an aristocratic household. 3. A member of the clergy attached to a branch of the armed forces. [Middle English chapelein, from Old French chapelain, from Medieval Latin capellānus, from capella, chapel; see CHAPEL.] chaplain·cy, chaplain·ship′ n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.