cilice
1
9.9
A small piece of clothing worn close to the skin to cause pain to show sorrow for sins
- noun
- /ˈsɪlɪs/
:
cilicio
- The monk decided to don a cilice to practice self-discipline during his spiritual retreat.
- cilice belt
Examples
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He's wearing a cilice.
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Does doctrine necessarily include vows of chastity, tithing, and atonement for sins through self-flagellation and the cilice?
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He wore a cilice as a form of penance to remind himself of his devotion.
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During Lent, she chose to wear a cilice to signify her commitment to self-improvement.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Cilice comes from the Latin cilicium, a 'rough cloth' from the region of Cilicia that was often made from goat hair. Because this cloth chafed the skin, a cilice came to mean a garment worn close to the skin to cause discomfort as an act of 'penance'.