tonsure
[ ton-sher ]
/ ˈtɒn ʃər /
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noun
the act of cutting the hair or shaving the head.
the shaving of the head or of some part of it as a religious practice or rite, especially in preparation for entering the priesthood or a monastic order.
the part of a cleric's head, usually the crown, left bare by shaving the hair.
the state of being shorn.
verb (used with object), ton·sured, ton·sur·ing.
to confer the ecclesiastical tonsure upon.
to subject to tonsure.
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Origin of tonsure
1350–1400; Middle English <Latin tōnsūra a shearing, equivalent to tōns(us) (past participle of tondēre to shear, clip, shave) + -ūra-ure
OTHER WORDS FROM tonsure
un·ton·sured, adjectiveWords nearby tonsure
tonsillo-, tonsillolith, tonsillotomy, tonsils, tonsorial, tonsure, tontine, ton-up, tonus, tony, too
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for tonsure
British Dictionary definitions for tonsure
tonsure
/ (ˈtɒnʃə) /
noun
(in certain religions and monastic orders)
- the shaving of the head or the crown of the head only
- the part of the head left bare by shaving
- the state of being shaven thus
verb
(tr) to shave the head of
Derived forms of tonsure
tonsured, adjectiveWord Origin for tonsure
C14: from Latin tōnsūra a clipping, from tondēre to shave
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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