Word
chaplain
Phoneticschap·lain
US/ˈtʃæpɫən/
UK/tʃˈæplɪn/
Definitions
01religious support provider
n. a religious leader who works in a place like a hospital, prison, or the military to help people with their faith and feelings.
n. a member of the clergy or a religious body officially attached to an institution to provide pastoral care.
“The hospital chaplain visited the patients every morning to offer comfort and prayer.”
“The military chaplain provided essential emotional support to the troops during their long deployment overseas.”
Usage
Often used with a modifying noun to show the institution, such as 'prison chaplain' or 'army chaplain'.
02secular support provider
n. a person who provides emotional support and guidance in a professional setting without using religion.
n. a person who performs pastoral or welfare duties in a secular context, focusing on ethics and emotional well-being rather than theology.
“The university hired a secular chaplain to support students of all backgrounds.”
“In modern corporate environments, a humanist chaplain may be employed to facilitate ethical discussions and provide non-religious grief counselling.”
Formal
Teaching tip
This sense is becoming more common in modern English as institutions move toward inclusive, non-religious support systems.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Over the years, she taught at several Catholic schools in California and Illinois before becoming an academic adviser with Loyola's men's basketball team in 1994, later becoming the chaplain.” Etymology
From Middle English chapeleyn, from Old French chapelain, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin cappellānus, from cappella. Doublet of capelin. Displaced Old English handprēost.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chaplain