Standard Lemma guide

chela

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈkilə/
  • UK: /ˈkiːlə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈt͡ʃeɪ.lə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A pupil or disciple, especially in Hinduism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: claw, nipper, pincer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: extremity, appendage, member

4

noun

Meaning 4

a Hindu disciple of a swami

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: Hindu, Hindoo

History

Etymology

From Latin chele, from Ancient Greek χηλή (khēlḗ).

Borrowed from Hindi चेला (celā).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: клещи (klešti) — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 螯 (áo) — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Finnish: saksi — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Irish: ladhar — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Irish: ordóg — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Italian: chela — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Japanese: 螯 (hasami) — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Polish: szczypce — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Russian: клешня́ (klešnjá) — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid
  • Turkish: kıskaç — pincer-like claw of a crustacean or arachnid