noun
- The Eucharist or Holy Communion, especially as administered to a dying person.
Usage: archaic; religious
verb
- To administer the Eucharist or Communion to someone, especially to a dying person.
Usage: archaic; religious
Examples
- The priest offered housel to the dying parishioner.
- In medieval times, it was customary to housel the sick before death.
- The last rites included the administration of housel.
- She received housel as her final sacrament.
- The chaplain came to housel the patient in the hospital.