tonsure
tonsure a part of a monk's or priest's head left bare on top by shaving off the hair. In the Eastern church the whole head is shaven (the tonsure of St Paul), in the Roman Catholic Church, the tonsure consists of either a circular patch on the crown, or the whole upper part of the head so as to leave only a fringe or circle of hair (the tonsure of St Peter), and in the ancient Celtic Church, the head was shaved in the front of a line drawn from ear to ear (the tonsure of St John).
Recorded from late Middle English, the word comes from Old French or from Latin tonsura, from tondere ‘shear, clip’.
Recorded from late Middle English, the word comes from Old French or from Latin tonsura, from tondere ‘shear, clip’.
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tonsure
