# tonsure

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈtɒn.ʃə(ɹ)/

## Definitions
1. To shave the crown of the head of (a person) as a sign of humility and religious vocation.

## Etymology
From Middle English tonsure, from Anglo-Norman and Old French tonsure, from Latin tonsūra (“a clipping, trimming”), from tondeō (“shear, clip, trim”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tonsure