transepted

Transepted refers to a building plan that includes a transept, the arm of a church that runs perpendicular to the main axis, the nave. When a church is transepted, the nave and transepts intersect to form a cruciform, or cross-shaped, floor plan. The crossing is often accentuated by a tower or dome and by the arrangement of aisles and choirstalls around the crossing.

In typical medieval churches, the transepts extend to either side of the nave, creating a crossing near the middle. The presence of transepts affects circulation, sightlines for liturgy, and the overall silhouette of the building. The term transepted is primarily architectural and descriptive, and it is used for both religious and, occasionally, secular structures that adopt a cross-shaped plan. The word derives from Latin trans- across and septum barrier, via Old French transept.

Notable examples include Chartres Cathedral in France, Canterbury Cathedral in England, and St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, all of which display clear transepts that intersect the nave to form a cruciform arrangement.