crosier

views updated May 18 2018

crosier, crozier †cross-bearer to an archbishop XIV; bearer of a bishop's pastoral staff, hence (through the phr. crosier('s) staff) the staff itself XIV. Two words have blended here, (i) — F. croisier cross-bearer, f. crois CROSS, (ii) — OF. crocier, crossier bearer of a bishop's crosse or crook (OF. croce :- Rom. *croccia, f. *croccus CROOK).

crosier

views updated May 29 2018

cro·sier • n. variant spelling of crozier.

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