# chapter

Pronunciation: US say "CHAP-tur" /ˈt͡ʃæptɚ/; UK say "CHAP-tuh" /ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/

## Noun

1. One of the main sections into which a book or other published work is divided.
   - Simple: One of the main parts that a book or other published work is split into.
   - _The author revised the opening chapter several times before publication._
   - _Later chapters explore the consequences of the discovery._
2. A local branch of a larger organization, society or fraternity, with its own members and officers in a particular area or institution.
   - Simple: A local group that is part of a bigger club or organization, such as one branch of a club at a college.
   - _The fraternity's campus chapter organized the fundraiser._
   - _Volunteers founded a regional chapter to coordinate relief efforts._
3. A connected sequence of events regarded as one part of a longer story or history.
   - Simple: A period of events seen as one part of a longer story or history.
   - _The peace treaty opened a hopeful chapter in the region's history._
   - _Losing the championship closed a painful chapter for the team._
4. A division of a text, or of a collection or fragments of texts, introduced by scholars or editors rather than the original authors to help locate passages.
   - Simple: A part of a text marked off by scholars, not the original writer, to help people find passages.
   - _The chapter and verse divisions of the Bible were imposed long after the texts were written._
   - _Canon lawyers cite the decree by its chapter, a division that later commentators made in the collection._
5. The body of clergy attached to a cathedral or collegiate church, usually headed by a dean, which governs it and advises the bishop.
   - Simple: The group of priests who run a cathedral and give advice to the bishop.
   - _The chapter convened to approve repairs to the cathedral roof._
   - _The dean presided over the chapter's annual meeting._
6. A formal meeting of the members of a society, fraternity, or order.
   - Simple: A formal meeting of the members of a society or order.
   - _The knights convened a chapter to elect their new master._
   - _Important decisions are taken at the order's annual chapter._

## Verb

7. To divide a written work into chapters, or to arrange written material into chapters.
   - Simple: To split a book or other piece of writing into chapters.
   - _The author chose to chapter the memoir by decade._
   - _Modern editions chapter the ancient text for easier reference._

## Noun

8. A particular location or compartment. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A particular place or small compartment.

## Other meanings

- (noun) The building or room in which a cathedral or monastic chapter assembles.
- (noun) A religious community composed of canons or canonesses.
- (verb) In the US military, to discharge someone from service through formal administrative procedure, usually with out.
- (verb) To criticize or reprimand someone for a fault or failure.
- (noun) A short prescribed reading recited at one of the canonical hours.

## Origin

From Middle English chapitre, borrowed via Old French chapitre from Latin capitulum ("a chapter of a book," and in Medieval Latin also a synod or council), a diminutive of caput ("a head"). It is a doublet of capital, capitulum, and chapiter.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/chapter (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).