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.
- Noun. The bald patch resulting from being tonsured.
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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.