tonsure (Meaning)
tonsure (n)
the shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head
shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order
tonsure (v)
shave the head of a newly inducted monk
tonsure (n.)
The act of clipping the hair, or of shaving the crown of the head; also, the state of being shorn.
The first ceremony used for devoting a person to the service of God and the church; the first degree of the clericate, given by a bishop, abbot, or cardinal priest, consisting in cutting off the hair from a circular space at the back of the head, with prayers and benedictions; hence, entrance or admission into minor orders.
The shaven corona, or crown, which priests wear as a mark of their order and of their rank.
Synonyms & Antonyms of tonsure
No Synonyms and anytonyms found
tonsure Sentence Examples
- The monks' tonsures, shaved crowns surrounded by a ring of hair, symbolized their renunciation of worldly desires.
- The archbishop performed the tonsure ceremony with a pair of silver shears, cutting a small circle of hair from the candidate's head.
- After receiving the tonsure, the novice was officially considered a member of the monastic community.
- In some religious orders, the tonsure was conferred only after a period of probation and contemplation.
- The precise form of the tonsure varied among different monastic traditions, but it generally denoted a life of dedication to God.
- The tonsure was often accompanied by other rituals, such as the taking of vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
- In medieval Europe, the tonsure was also used to identify clerics, who were exempt from certain taxes and legal obligations.
- Laymen and women who wished to express their devotion could also receive a partial tonsure, shaving a small patch of hair from their heads.
- The practice of tonsure gradually declined in popularity during the Enlightenment and has become relatively rare in modern times.
- However, tonsure remains an important symbol of monastic life in some religious communities to this day.
FAQs About the word tonsure
the shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head, shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order, shave the head of a newly inducted monkT
No synonyms found.
No antonyms found.
The monks' tonsures, shaved crowns surrounded by a ring of hair, symbolized their renunciation of worldly desires.
The archbishop performed the tonsure ceremony with a pair of silver shears, cutting a small circle of hair from the candidate's head.
After receiving the tonsure, the novice was officially considered a member of the monastic community.
In some religious orders, the tonsure was conferred only after a period of probation and contemplation.
