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misericord

or mis·er·i·corde

[ miz-er-i-kawrd, mi-zer-i-kawrd ]
/ ˌmɪz ər ɪˈkɔrd, mɪˈzɛr ɪˌkɔrd /
|

noun

a room in a monastery set apart for those monks permitted relaxation of the monastic rule.
Also subsellium. a small projection on the underside of a hinged seat of a church stall, which, when the seat is lifted, gives support to a person standing in the stall.
a medieval dagger, used for the mercy stroke to a wounded foe.

Nearby words

  1. miserabilism,
  2. miserabilist,
  3. miserable,
  4. miserably,
  5. miserere,
  6. misericords,
  7. miserly,
  8. misery,
  9. misery index,
  10. misery loves company

Origin of misericord

1200–50; Middle English misericorde literally, pity, mercy, an act of clemency < Middle French < Latin misericordia pity, equivalent to misericord- (stem of misericors) compassionate (miseri-, stem of miserēre to pity + cord- stem of cor heart) + -ia -y3
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for misericord

  • "It certainly looks like a misericord," remarked Reeves, drawing the rusty steel from its mouldy sheath.

    Captured at Tripoli|Percy F. Westerman
British Dictionary definitions for misericord

misericord

misericorde

/ (mɪˈzɛrɪˌkɔːd) /

noun

a ledge projecting from the underside of the hinged seat of a choir stall in a church, on which the occupant can support himself while standing
Christianity
  1. a relaxation of certain monastic rules for infirm or aged monks or nuns
  2. a monastery where such relaxations can be enjoyed
a small medieval dagger used to give the death stroke to a wounded foe

Word Origin for misericord

C14: from Old French, from Latin misericordia compassion, from miserēre to pity + cor heart
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012