Associations to the word «Tonsure»

Wiktionary

TONSURE, verb. (Christianity) To subject to the often ritual shaving of the crown of the head as a sign of humility and one's religious vocation. Some tonsures were more dramatic than others, leaving only a fringe of hair. Abolished by Vatican II in the Roman Catholic Church.
TONSURE, noun. The bald patch resulting from being tonsured.

Dictionary definition

TONSURE, noun. The shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head.
TONSURE, noun. Shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order.
TONSURE, verb. Shave the head of a newly inducted monk.

Wise words

A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.