n. 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 monastic order. 2. The part of a monk's or priest's head that has been shaved. tr.v. ton·sured, ton·sur·ing, ton·sures To shave the head of. [Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tōnsūra, from Latin, a shearing, from tōnsus, past participle of tondēre, to shear; see tem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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