Tonsure
/ˈtɒn.ʃəɹ/noun
A shaved patch or the ceremonial shaving of part or all of the head, especially as a sign of religious devotion.
Did you know?Tonsure comes from Latin *tondere*, meaning “to shear” or “to clip,” the same ancient root behind words for shearing and clipping hair, not a hidden demon or spell—but a ritualized act of symbolic transformation.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
tonsura
“a shearing or clipping, especially of the hair”
Classical Latin
Latin
tondere
“to shear, clip, or crop”
Late Latin
Latin
tonsura
“the act of shearing the head as a religious practice”
Old French
OF
tonsure
“a clerical shaving of the head”
Middle English
English
tonsure
“a shaved crown or clerical haircut”
Modern English
English
tonsure
“the shaving of part or all of the scalp, especially for religious reasons”