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biretta
[ buh-ret-uh ]
/ bəˈrɛt ə /
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noun
a stiff square cap with three or four upright projecting pieces extending from the center of the top to the edge, worn by ecclesiastics.
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Also ber·ret·ta, bir·ret·ta .
Origin of biretta
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Italian berretta, feminine variant of berretto, from Old Provençal berret, from Medieval Latin birrettum “cap,” equivalent to Late Latin birr(us) “hooded cloak” + -ettum diminutive suffix; apparently by the development: “hooded cloak” to “hood” to “cap”; compare Medieval Latin (circa 800) byrrus “short hood” (cuculla brevis ); see birrus, -et
Words nearby biretta
bird watcher, birectangular, birefringence, bireme, Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, biretta, Birgitta, biri, biriani, birk, Birkbeck
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use biretta in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for biretta
biretta
berretta
/ (bɪˈrɛtə) /
noun
RC Church a stiff clerical cap having either three or four upright pieces projecting outwards from the centre to the edge: coloured black for priests, purple for bishops, red for cardinals, and white for certain members of religious orders
Word Origin for biretta
C16: from Italian berretta, from Old Provençal berret, from Late Latin birrus hooded cape
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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