humeral veil
- noun
- /ˈhjuːmərəl veɪl/
- Formal
- The priest draped the humeral veil across his shoulders before the Benediction.
Examples
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The ornate humeral veil was embroidered with gold thread for the special liturgy.
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The priest wore a beautiful humeral veil during the ceremony.
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During the procession, the deacon respectfully carried the humeral veil.
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Many humeral veils are made of fine silk.
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The priest draped the humeral veil gracefully over his shoulders during the High Mass.
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For the liturgical ceremony, the bishop wore an ornate humeral veil that shimmered in the candlelight.
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As the choir sang, the deacon elegantly lifted the humeral veil to begin the ritual.
Synonyms
A special robe that a priest or minister wears for religious services
A silk cloth used by a priest as a special covering during mass
How Liturgical
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term is compositionally built from 'humeral' (relating to the shoulder) + 'veil' (a ceremonial shawl), so its meaning 'a shawl/vestment worn over the shoulders' is directly derivable from the constituents. This adjective+noun pattern indicating location/purpose is a standard, cross-linguistic compositional construction, making it immediately understandable to a learner who knows both words.
Etymology
Humeral veil comes from humeral meaning 'shoulder' and veil meaning 'cloth'. It is a long, narrow cloth a priest drapes over the shoulders to hold or cover holy objects without touching them, so the name explains its use in church ceremonies.