# chancel vs channel

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### chancel
*noun · IPA /ˈtʃɑːnsəl/ · frequency rank #40,170*
The space around the altar in a church or cathedral, often enclosed, for use by the clergy and the choir. In medieval cathedrals the chancel was usually enclosed or blocked off from the nave by an altar screen.

### channel
*noun · IPA /ˈt͡ʃænəl/ · frequency rank #1,478*
The hollow bed of running waters; (also) the bed of the sea or other body of water.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/chancel-vs-channel