Cancelli

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A lattice or grating made of metal or wood, used as a barrier or decorative element in windows, doors, or openings ; an architectural screen formed by intersecting bars often serving as a protective or ornamental enclosure ; a kind of barred gate or partition designed to provide security while allowing visibility or ventilation
2. A structure composed of crossed bars forming a protective or decorative screen in doorways or windows ; a metal or wooden grille acting as a barrier while permitting light and air to pass through ; an ornamental latticework used in architecture to enclose or separate spaces without completely blocking view
3. A barred or latticed panel serving as a gate, window covering, or partition to secure or adorn openings ; a framework of intersecting bars that functions as a screen, often in religious or formal buildings ; a grille-like architectural element that combines protection with aesthetic design by partial enclosure of areas

Etymology: The Latin "cancelli" is the plural of "cancellus," which literally meant "little crab" (a diminutive of "cancer," crab). The link between a crustacean and a lattice is one of the more surprising leaps in English vocabulary, and it rests on a visual resemblance: the criss-crossed bars of a screen look like the crossed lines of a crab's shell or the latticed pattern of something drawn across a space. English kept the word unadapted, so "cancelli" is used as a plural in its own right, and it carries the sense of a barrier or screen formed by crossing bars. The word is a doublet of "chancel," the part of a church around the altar that was originally enclosed by such a screen. Both forms descend from the same Latin source, but "chancel" came into English through Old French, while "cancelli" was taken directly from Latin.

Synonyms: lattice, grille, fencing, barrier, screen