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Glite Dictionary
⛪ Holy water sprinkler 🌱 Liquid sprayer
aspergillum

aspergillum

9.9
A tool used to sprinkle holy water during a religious ceremony
  • noun
  • /ˌæspərˈɡɪləm/
translation icon : aspersor
  • During the baptism, the priest used an aspergillum to sprinkle holy water over the infant.

Examples

  • No, wait—like the aspergillum the Catholics use in their churches.

    Academic text (1997)

  • The leaden bowl was all but empty, and he wrapped it and the aspergillum in a square of fine black cloth and a plastic bag before stashing them in his satchel again.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The aspergillum was carefully placed on the altar, ready for the ceremonial blessing.

  • As part of the ritual, the aspergillum released a gentle mist of holy water throughout the congregation.

Synonyms

aspergill
vsaspergillum
  • Archaic
9.9

A small tool with a short handle and a ball with holes holding a sponge used to sprinkle holy water

is the general liturgical instrument for sprinkling holy water in ceremonies

Surface Forms

aspergillum singular
aspergilla plural

Etymology

Aspergillum comes from the Latin word aspergere, which means 'to sprinkle' and is made of ad- 'to' and spargere 'to scatter'. The same root gives us the English word sparse ('scattered'), so an aspergillum is literally a tool for scattering or sprinkling holy water over people.