chapter

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
chapter/ˈtʃaptə(r)/

▶noun

• 1 a main division of a book.

  ■ an Act of Parliament numbered as part of a session's proceedings.

• 2 a distinctive period in history or in a person's life.

• 3 the governing body of a cathedral or other religious community, or of a knightly order.

• 4 chiefly N. Amer. a local branch of a society.

– phrases
chapter and verse an exact reference or authority.
a chapter of accidents a series of unfortunate events.

– origin ME: from OFr. chapitre, from L. capitulum, dimin. of caput ‘head’.