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Simple English definitions for legal terms
tonsure
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A quick definition of tonsure:
Term: Tonsure
Definition: Tonsure is the act of shaving someone's head, usually a religious person like a priest or monk. It was a common practice in the past, and some people still do it today. The purpose of tonsure was to show humility and dedication to God. It was also a way to distinguish religious people from others. Some people wore special hats to cover their shaved heads, like the coifs worn by serjeants-at-law.
A more thorough explanation:
TONSURE
Tonsure is the act of shaving a person's head, usually a cleric's head. It was a common practice in the past.
1. In medieval times, monks and priests would undergo tonsure as a sign of their religious devotion.
2. Serjeants-at-law supposedly wore coifs to conceal their shaved heads.
The first example illustrates how tonsure was a common practice among religious figures in the past. The second example shows how even non-religious figures, such as Serjeants-at-law, would also undergo tonsure.