Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Definition for TON'SURE
TON'SURE, n. [Fr. from L. tonsura, from tonsus, shaved; tondeo, to clip or shave.]
- The act of clipping the hair, or of shaving the head; the state of being shorn. Addison.
- In the Romish church, tonsure is the first ceremony uses 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. Cyc.
- In the Romish church, the corona or crown which priests wear as a mark of their order and of their rank in the church. Cyc.
Return to page 81 of the letter “T”.