TONSURES

Noun

tonsures

plural of tonsure

Source: Wiktionary


TONSURE

Ton"sure, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. tonsura a shearing, clipping, from tondere, tonsum, to shear, shave; cf. Gr. 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

5 April 2025

SET

(noun) an unofficial association of people or groups; “the smart set goes there”; “they were an angry lot”


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Coffee Trivia

The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.

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