noun
transept
TRAN-sept/ˈtrænsept/
The part of a church that crosses the main nave at a right angle.
The church's transept crosses the nave just before the altar.
Etymology
The pieces suggest a crosswise partition or enclosure. In church architecture, the name identifies the transverse arm that crosses the main aisle, giving the building its cross-shaped plan.
In context
the transept is a section of the church set crosswise to the nave
More examples
- Sunlight streams through the large window in the transept.
- Visitors turn left into the north transept.
- The architect compares the transepts of three medieval churches.
Forms
transept · transepts