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Webster 1913 Edition

Tonsure

Ton′sure

,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
tonsura
a shearing, clipping, from
tondere
,
tonsum
, to shear, shave; cf. Gr. [GREEK] to gnaw; perhaps akin to Gr. [GREEK] to cut, and E.
tome
.]
1.
The act of clipping the hair, or of shaving the crown of the head; also, the state of being shorn.
2.
(R. C. Ch.)
(a)
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.
(b)
The shaven corona, or crown, which priests wear as a mark of their order and of their rank.

Webster 1828 Edition

Tonsure

TON'SURE

,
Noun.
[L. tonsura, from tonsus, shaved; tondeo, to clip or shave.]
1.
The act of clipping the hair, or of shaving the head; or the state of being shorn.
2.
In the Romish church, tonsure is 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, who cuts off a part of his hair with prayers and benedictions. Hence tonsure is used to denote entrance or admission into holy orders.
3.
In the Romish church, the corona or crown which priests wear as a mark of their order and of their rank in the church.

Definition 2024

tonsure

tonsure

See also: tonsuré

English

Medieval Roman Catholic monk with tonsure.

Verb

tonsure ‎(third-person singular simple present tonsures, present participle tonsuring, simple past and past participle tonsured)

  1. (Christianity, Buddhism) To shave the crown of the head as a sign of humility and religious vocation.

Translations

Noun

tonsure ‎(plural tonsures)

  1. A ritual shaving of this kind.
  2. The bald patch resulting from being tonsured.

Translations

French

Etymology

From Latin tonsūra ‎(“a clipping, trimming”), from tondeō ‎(“shear, clip, trim”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɔ̃.syʁ/

Noun

tonsure f ‎(plural tonsures)

  1. tonsure

Verb

tonsure

  1. first-person singular present indicative of tonsurer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of tonsurer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of tonsurer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of tonsurer
  5. second-person singular imperative of tonsurer

Italian

Noun

tonsure f

  1. plural of tonsura

Anagrams

Latin

Participle

tōnsūre

  1. vocative masculine singular of tōnsūrus

Old French

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin tonsūra.

Noun

tonsure f ‎(oblique plural tonsures, nominative singular tonsure, nominative plural tonsures)

  1. tonsure (hair)

Descendants

References

Spanish

Verb

tonsure

  1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of tonsurar.
  2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of tonsurar.
  3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of tonsurar.
  4. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of tonsurar.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman and Old French tonsure, from Latin tonsūra ‎(“a clipping, trimming”), from tondeō ‎(“shear, clip, trim”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈtɒn.ʃə(ɹ)/

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