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tallis

tallis

1 9.9
A rectangular Jewish prayer shawl with fringes on each corner worn during morning prayers
  • noun
  • /ˈtɑːlɪs/
translation icon : tallit
  • Through the peephole, I could barely see the face of an unfamiliar man wrapped in a tallis.
  • wraps the tallis
  • white tallis
  • grandfather's tallis

Examples

  • He wrapped himself in his tallis as he began the morning prayers.

  • His shirt has ridden up his back, revealing the tallis wrapped around his waist.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Henry looks at the rabbi standing there in his rainbow-colored tallis.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Danny is in the bathroom in front of the mirror, holding his shirt up with his chin as he wraps the tallis around his torso.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Alone, he sits at the desk, finds himself gazing at the Torah, standing in a corner of his closet, draped in the tallis.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • He drapes the tallis over his head, says the blessing, and places it stolewise over his shoulders, hitching up each side so it won't touch the floor.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Before the service started, Joshua adjusted his tallis and prepared for the prayers.

  • The tallis he wore was beautifully embroidered with intricate patterns.

Synonyms

prayer shawl
vstallis
3 7.1

A rectangular cloth with knotted strings on the corners that Jewish people wear during morning prayers

is the traditional Jewish garment worn during morning prayers
tallith
vstallis
  • UK
1 9.9

A shawl Jewish men wear during morning prayers with special knotted fringes at each corner

is the same garment without restricting usage to men

Surface Forms

tallis singular
tallises plural

Etymology

Tallis comes from the Hebrew word tallit, which means 'cloak' or 'prayer shawl'. That's why a tallis is the special shawl with fringes that Jewish people wrap around their shoulders during morning prayers.