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.
People can make their own pope jerseys at the team store (some have even used Roman numerals for the XIV), but the team won’t be selling chintzy T-shirts or making the players wear City Connect cassocks. Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 14 May 2025 Father Roman, a distinguished figure with curly black hair and floor-sweeping black cassock, let us in. Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 The clergyman certainly wasn’t turning up for a session dressed in his cardinal cassock, the trainer explained. Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 17 May 2025 Francis, on the other hand, had appeared dressed in the plain white cassock of a pope. Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 9 May 2025 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 10 Jun. 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!