Tonsure
/ˈtɑn.ʃɚ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A ritual shaving of this kind.
- 2 shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order wordnet
- 3 The hairstyle and characteristic bald patch resulting from being tonsured.
- 4 the shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head wordnet
Verb
- 1 To shave the crown of the head of (a person) as a sign of humility and religious vocation. transitive
- 2 shave the head of a newly inducted monk wordnet
Example
More examples"Who wants to travel far has to move his tonsure by sparing his mount."
Etymology
From Middle English tonsure, from Anglo-Norman and Old French tonsure, from Latin tonsūra (“a clipping, trimming”), from tondeō (“shear, clip, trim”).