taurobolium

noun

tau·​ro·​bo·​li·​um

ˌtȯrəˈbōlēəm

variants or less commonly tauroboly

tȯˈräbəlē

plural taurobolia

-ˈbōlēə

also taurobolies

: a ceremony in the cult of certain Mediterranean deities (as Cybele and Mithras) in which worshipers were baptized with the blood of a sacrificed bull compare criobolium

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin taurobolium, from Greek taurobolion, from tauros bull + -bolion (from ballein to throw)

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