tonsure
tonsure
UK[ˈtɒnʃə]US[ˈtɑːnʃər]
n
the act or ceremony of shaving the top of the head of a person entering the priesthood or a monastic order.
n
the part of a monk's or priest's head left bare by shaving the hair.
Etymology
the word "tonsure" entered english in the late 14th century from the old french "tonsure," which itself derived from the latin "tonsura," meaning "a shearing, clipping." this latin noun stems from the past participle stem of the verb "tondere," "to shear, clip, or shave." the practice and its terminology are deeply rooted in religious tradition, where the shaving of the head symbolized humility, renunciation of worldly vanity, and a mark of dedication to the clerical or monastic life. thus, the term evolved from a general act of cutting hair to its specific, ceremonial meaning within a religious context.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from latin. it is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable english morphemes.
Examples
the young novice underwent the rite of tonsure as part of his initiation into the monastery.
his distinctive tonsure made him immediately recognizable as a member of the religious order.
historical depictions often show medieval monks with a circular tonsure at the crown of the head.