Mitre
/ˈmaɪ.tər/noun
A ceremonial headdress worn by bishops and some abbots.
Did you know?English mitre comes through Old French from Greek mitra, which could mean a headband, belt, or turban—showing how sacred regalia often began as ordinary symbols of rank.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷʰeydʰ-
“to gird, bind, or fasten around”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μίτρα (mítra)
“a headband, girdle, or turban-like band worn around the head or waist”
Late Latin
Latin
mitra
“a mitre or headband, especially a bishop’s cap”
Old French
Old French
mitre
“a bishop’s headdress”
Middle English
English
mitre
“a bishop’s ceremonial headdress”