WordGarden.iotonsure
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /tˈɒnʒə/
US
- /ˈtɑn.ʃər/noun
Meanings
Noun
the religious practice or resulting haircut of shaving part of the scalp, especially for monks or clerics
Beyond the definition
This isn't your average haircut. Historically, it refers to the practice of shaving all or part of the scalp, a tradition most closely associated with monks and other religious figures. It wasn't just about appearance; it was a visible sign of devotion, humility, and turning away from worldly pride. Think of those medieval paintings that show monks with a ring of hair around a shaved crown: that famous look is one form of it.
While the practice became less common in the Roman Catholic Church in the 20th century, it still exists in some monastic and Eastern Christian traditions. Sometimes, the word is used more broadly for deliberate head-shaving, but it usually still suggests ritual, discipline, or religious meaning.
The word "tonsure" comes from the Latin tonsura, meaning "a shearing" or "clipping." Originally, it served as a rite of passage within various Christian denominations—particularly monastic orders—where shaving the head represented a public declaration of one's commitment to God. This act signified that the individual was "clipping away" their old life and worldly concerns to embrace a spiritual path.
Historically, the style could even spark controversy. During the early Middle Ages, for example, the "Roman tonsure" and the "Celtic tonsure" marked different church traditions, so the haircut carried religious and cultural meaning as well as symbolic force. In some periods and churches, receiving it marked entry into a religious or clerical life, though the exact role of the rite varied across traditions and over time.
In modern English, the term still belongs mainly to religious and historical contexts, but it has broadened slightly. It can sometimes be used poetically or humorously for a shaved patch or a haircut that resembles the old monastic style. Still, unlike a simple "buzz cut," "tonsure" usually carries echoes of ritual, discipline, and religious tradition.
Examples
- 1
Religious appearance
The monk's tonsure made him easy to recognize at once.
- 2
Medieval art
In medieval paintings, priests are often shown with a tonsure.
- 3
Religious ceremony
After he entered the order, he received the tonsure in a formal ceremony.
- Phrasereceive the tonsure
have your hair cut in this religious style as part of joining religious life
See also
Similar
- shaven crown
- clerical haircut
Shades of meaning
- shaved head
- monastic shaving
Contrast
- unshorn hair
Used with (collocations)
- monastic tonsure
- clerical tonsure
- receive the tonsure
- take the tonsure
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- tonsurenounverb
Forms
- tonsuredpast tenseverbnoun
- tonsurespluralnounverb
- tonsuring-ing formverbnoun