Meanings
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1
noun
a stemmed ceremonial cup, especially the cup used for wine in the Christian Eucharist
The priest raised the chalice during the Eucharistic prayer.
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2
noun
literary: a large or ornate drinking cup, often suggesting a fate or experience one must accept
The tragedy forces its hero to drink from a bitter chalice of his own making.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From Middle English chalis through Old French from Latin calix, calicem, 'cup.' Latin calix may be related to or borrowed from Greek kylix, 'drinking cup.' Christian liturgy specialized the word for the Eucharistic wine cup.