What Does “Tonsure” Mean in the Bible?
A haircut on the crown of the head that monks and clerics used to wear as a sign that they belonged to God.
It can mean
- What it meant: it was the rite by which a man entered the clerical state, before receiving orders.
- The word: comes from the Latin “tondere,” which means “to cut the hair.”
Source: Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “Tonsure”