Cordelier

/kɔːrdəˈliːr/ noun

Definition

A member of a Franciscan religious order, or someone who wears a cord around their waist as part of their religious habit.

Etymology

From French cordelier, derived from cordelle meaning 'cord,' referring to the rope girdle worn by Franciscan monks. It entered English from French ecclesiastical terminology.

Kelly Says

You can literally identify a Franciscan cordelier by their rope belt—the word is a perfect example of how clothing details became people's names, kind of like how we might call someone 'the guy with the baseball cap.'

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.