ton· sure ˈtän (t)-shər 1 : the Roman Catholic or Eastern rite of admission to the clerical state by the clipping or shaving of a portion of the head 2 : the shaven crown or patch worn by monks …

Tonsure is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word tonsura and referred to a specific practice in medieval Catholicism, abandoned by papal order in 1972. Tonsure can also refer to the secular practice of shaving all or part of the scalp to show support or sympathy, or …

British Dictionary definitions for tonsure the shaving of the head or the crown of the head only the part of the head left bare by shaving the state of being shaven thus

tonsure, in various religions, a ceremony of initiation in which hair is clipped from the head as part of the ritual marking one’s entrance into a new stage of religious development or activity. Tonsure has been used in both the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches on occasions of solemn personal dedication

ton·sure 1. The act of shaving the head or part of the head, especially as a preliminary to becoming a priest or a member of a... 2. The part of a monk's or priest's head that has been shaved.

Meaning of tonsure in English tonsure noun [ C ] uk / ˈtɒn.ʃə r/ us / ˈtɑːn.ʃɚ / the top back part of a monk 's head from which a circle of hair has been removed Dorling Kindersley /GettyImages …

tonsure noun [ C ] us Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio / ˈtɑːn.ʃɚ / uk Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio / ˈtɒn.ʃə r/ the top back part of a monk 's head from which a …

Definitions of tonsure. noun. shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order. see more. noun. the shaved crown of a monk's or priest's head. see more. verb. shave the head of a newly inducted monk.

tonsure noun The bald patch resulting from being tonsured. tonsure verb 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 in American English (ˈtɑnʃər) (verb -sured, -suring) noun 1. the act of cutting the hair or shaving the head 2. the shaving of the head or of some part of it as a religious practice or rite, …