1. A screen or partition, typically made of wood or stone, that encloses a chapel, tomb, or altar in a church.
Usage: architectural; chiefly British

Examples

• The medieval church featured an ornate parclose separating the side chapel from the main nave.
• A stone parclose enclosed the tomb of the saint, allowing pilgrims to view it from a distance.
• The parclose was decorated with intricate carvings and gilded details.
• Visitors could see through the wooden parclose into the private chapel beyond.
• The restoration team carefully preserved the parclose's original 15th-century design.