chapter
chapter
Pronunciation
chapter: /ˈtʃæptər/
chap: /tʃæp/ - /t/ (voiceless palato-alveolar affricate), /æ/ (near-open front unrounded vowel), /p/ (voiceless bilabial plosive)
ter: /tər/ - /t/ (voiceless alveolar plosive), /ər/ (r-colored vowel, or schwa with r-coloring)
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: chapter
Plural Noun: chapters
Verb (transitive): chapter (less common, usually means to divide into chapters)
Present Participle/Gerund: chaptering
Past Tense/Past Participle: chaptered
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Definition 1: A principal division of a book or other written work, typically numbered or titled, that deals with a particular theme or part of the overall narrative.
Synonyms: section, part, division, segment, episode
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this meaning, as it describes a structural component)
Definition 2: A significant period or event in a person's life or in a historical progression, often seen as distinct from what came before or will come after.
Synonyms: phase, period, stage, era, episode, juncture
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, but can be contrasted with "continuity" or "sameness")
Definition 3: A local branch of a large organization, society, or fraternity.
Synonyms: branch, lodge, division, unit, cell
Antonyms: headquarters (in a general sense of the central authority), main office
Verb (Less Common Use)
Definition 1: To divide a text, book, or other written material into distinct sections or chapters.
Synonyms: section, divide, categorize, organize
Antonyms: unify, combine, merge
Examples of Use
Books:
"In the opening chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces the Finch family and the setting of Maycomb, Alabama."
"The author deliberately ended Chapter 23 with a cliffhanger, leaving readers eager to see what happens next in The Lincoln Highway."
Newspapers:
"The recent impeachment proceedings marked a tumultuous chapter in the nation's political history, demonstrating deep divisions within the government." ( The New York Times)
"Economists are predicting a new chapter of growth for the technology sector, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence." ( The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"Learn how to master advanced data visualization techniques in the new chapter on Tableau in our online course." (Coursera Blog)
"This article explores the final chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4, examining its impact on future storylines." (IGN)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"The first chapter of The Last of Us Part II sets a somber tone for the entire game, immediately immersing players in Ellie's grim reality." (PlayStation Blog)
"Viewers are eagerly awaiting the next chapter of the popular Netflix series Stranger Things, which promises to unravel more mysteries about the Upside Down." (Netflix Tudum)
"The podcast's latest chapter features an exclusive interview with the director, discussing the creative process behind her award-winning film." (NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour)
General Public Discourse:
"After years of dedicated service, her retirement marks a new chapter in her life, full of travel and personal pursuits."
"The community meeting discussed establishing a new chapter of the environmental conservation group to focus on local initiatives."
10 Quotes Using Chapter
"Do not close the book, when you are in the middle of a good chapter." (Unknown)
"Every new day is another chapter in your life waiting to be written." (Unknown)
"Life is like a book. Some chapters are sad, some happy, and some exciting. But if you never turn the page, you will never know what the next chapter holds." (Unknown)
"The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." (Mickey Spillane)
"A new chapter in my life, and that's it." (Serena Williams)
"This is a new chapter in my life. I am excited about the future." (Peyton Manning)
"I believe that we are at a new chapter in the history of the world." (George W. Bush)
"Every chapter of a book is an adventure, a journey of discovery." (Unknown)
"Don't dwell on the last chapter, but rather begin writing the next." (Unknown)
"And so, with the sun setting on one chapter, a new one begins, full of promise and possibility." (Original)
Etymology
The word "chapter" has a pretty interesting journey through language! It ultimately comes from a very old Latin word that means "head."
Ancient Roots (Latin): The story begins with the Latin word "caput," which means "head." This word was also used to mean things like "leader," "chief person," or even the "summit" of something.
A Little Head (Late Latin): Later on, a diminutive form of "caput" appeared: "capitulum." The "-ulum" ending usually means "little." So, "capitulum" literally meant "little head."
First Known Meaning (Late Latin/Medieval Latin): This "little head" started to be used in writing to mean a "main part" or "heading" within a text, especially in books or documents like legal codes. It was like a "little head" that introduced a new section. Around the 2nd century AD, writers like Tertullian are recorded using "capitulum" in this sense, particularly for numbered sections in early Christian manuscripts like the Bible.
In Medieval Latin, "capitulum" also took on a meaning related to meetings, specifically "a synod or council" – likely because these meetings would often discuss items under specific "headings" or "chapters" of rules. This is where the sense of a "chapter" as a group or branch of an organization comes from later.
French Connection (Old French): From Latin, the word made its way into Old French as "chapitre" (and earlier as "chapitle"). It kept the meaning of a division in a book, and also extended to articles in treaties or divisions within a cathedral structure.
Into English (Middle English): The word then entered English in the Middle English period (around the 12th to 15th centuries) as "chapiter" and later "chapter." The earliest known use of "chapter" (as a noun meaning a main division of a book) in English is from around 1225, in a text called Ancrene Riwle.
So, essentially, "chapter" comes from the idea of a "little head" or "heading" that marks a distinct section in a written work, and that idea then branched out to other similar divisions in life or organizations.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Chapter
A new chapter: Beginning a significant new period or phase in life.
Close a chapter: To bring an end to a particular period, event, or relationship.
The next chapter: The upcoming or future period in a story, a person's life, or a sequence of events.
The final chapter: The concluding part of something; the end.
To turn a new chapter: To start afresh, often after a difficult or completed period.
Open a new chapter: To initiate a new phase or development.
To put a chapter behind one: To move on from a past event or experience.
The chapter is not yet closed: An issue or situation is still ongoing or unresolved.
To write a new chapter in history: To achieve something groundbreaking or historically significant.
In every chapter of life: Throughout all the different stages and experiences of life.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of chapter from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
