chaplin
chaplin Lexical Profile
• noun
Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889–1977), an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to worldwide fame in the silent-film era through his screen persona, the Tramp.
"Film historians often study the physical comedy and social commentary found in the silent masterpieces of Chaplin."
An archaic or nonstandard spelling of chaplain, a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, secular institution, hospital, prison, or military unit.
"In the seventeenth-century parish register, the officiating clergyman signed his title as chaplin to the household."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse the proper surname 'Chaplin' with the common noun 'chaplain' (a member of the clergy attached to a secular institution, such as a hospital or military unit), though 'chaplin' is occasionally encountered as an archaic or nonstandard spelling of 'chaplain'.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Middle English occupational surname 'Chaplain', from Old French 'chapelain' (clergyman in charge of a chapel), ultimately from Late Latin 'cappellanus'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.