surplice
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈsɜrplɪs/
- And now the bishop and his candle walk back into the church, followed by the surplices and their candles, and then the rest of us in massive silence.
- a white surplice
Examples
-
He was invariably vested in cassock, surplice, and stole.
Blog text (1) -
"I would add, use patens at communion, and have the altar servers (male) wear cassock and surplice.
Blog text (24) -
This is a surplice.
-
There are no longer girls, and we wear cassocks and surplices.
Blog text (24) -
All the grandsons were in their cassocks and surplices, including me.
Fiction book (1991) -
This is why altar boys wear the cassock and surplice: they are fulfilling clerical roles.
Blog text (20) -
The choir members wore elegant white surplices over their robes during the service.
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During the ceremony, the priest donned a beautiful white surplice before delivering his sermon.
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As the procession began, everyone could see the clergy in their crisp white surplices standing at the altar.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word surplice comes from Latin parts super- meaning 'over' and pellis meaning 'skin', which is like the English word pelt. So it was like an 'over-skin' put on top of other clothes, which is why a surplice is a loose robe worn over other garments.