About The Word Tonsure

Bay Area Crosswords

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Tonsure

Tonsure Meaning & Definition
Tonsure Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Tonsure?

[n] shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order
[n] the shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head
[v] shave the head of a newly inducted monk

Synonyms | Synonyms for Tonsure:

Related Terms | Find terms related to Tonsure:

See Also | crown | pate | poll | shave | shave | shaving

Tonsure In Webster's Dictionary

\Ton"sure\, n. [F., fr. L. tonsura a shearing, clipping, from tondere, tonsum, to shear, shave; cf. Gr. ? to gnaw; perhaps akin to Gr. ? to cut, and E. tome.] 1. The act of clipping the hair, or of shaving the crown of the head; also, the state of being shorn. 2. (R. C. Ch.) (a) The first ceremony used for devoting a person to the service of God and the church; the first degree of the clericate, given by a bishop, abbot, or cardinal priest, consisting in cutting off the hair from a circular space at the back of the head, with prayers and benedictions; hence, entrance or admission into minor orders. (b) The shaven corona, or crown, which priests wear as a mark of their order and of their rank.

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