cassock

noun

cas·​sock ˈka-sək How to pronounce cassock (audio)
: a close-fitting ankle-length garment worn especially in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches by the clergy and by laypersons assisting in services

Illustration of cassock

Illustration of cassock

Examples of cassock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pius stands facing the camera in a white cassock, two fingers of his right hand raised in benediction, his gaze penetrating and implacable. Cullen Murphy, airmail.news, 15 Feb. 2025 That is also evident in the memoir – for instance, when the pope explains how he was told to wear white trousers, rather than black, to go under his new white papal cassock. Christopher Lamb, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025 Theology gathers its cassock skirts and anxiously casts Simon out as a magician or a sorcerer. James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024 His cassock fluttered; his crucifix reflected the sun, or the camera’s flash. Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for cassock

Word History

Etymology

Middle French casaque

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cassock was in 1631

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cassock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassock. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

cassock

noun
cas·​sock ˈkas-ək How to pronounce cassock (audio)
: a close-fitting ankle-length garment worn by clergy (as in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches)

More from Merriam-Webster on cassock

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!