Obs. Forms: (1 capitel, 2 captel), 3–5 chapitle, 4 chapitel, -til, -tele, chapytyl, 5 chapytle, chapetyll, chapyttyl, chapytylle. [a. OF. chapitle (now chapitre), in ONF. capitle, early ad. L. capitulum little head, capital of column, ‘head’ of discourse, chief division of book, section of law, etc., dim. of caput head. Cf. CAPITLE: later forms of the same word are F. chapitre, Eng. CHAPITER, and CHAPTER, q.v.]
1. A chief section of a book, a CHAPTER.
[a. 1000. Ecgberht’s Penit., cont. I. 1 (Bosw.). Her onginþ se forma capitul.
1340–1440. see CAPITLE.]
1340. Ayenb., 136. Ase we habbeþ be-uore y-ssewed ine þe chapitele of prede.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, V. xxxvii. In this Chapitle I shall reherse anone.
c. 1450. Why I can’t be Nun, 345, in E. E. P. (1862), 147. Hyt ys wretyn in Genesye, In the fowre and thyrty Chapytylle.
2. A CHAPTER or assembly of canons, monks, etc.
[11[?]. O. E. Chron., an. 1123. Hi hæfden cosen ærcebiscop æror in here capitele æfter rihte.]
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 473. Ȝuf eni play to chapitle were idrawe.
1325. Poem on Edw. II., 193, in Pol. Songs (1839), 332. Officials and denes that chapitles sholden holde.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 7837. Þat grete chapytyl [of devils].
1456. in Paston Lett., 289. I. 395. To compleyn upon me at the next chapitle.
