Cordelier

[ kawr-dl-eer ]

noun

1. a Franciscan friar: so called from the knotted cord worn as a girdle.
2. Cordeliers, a political club in Paris that met at an old Cordelier convent at the time of the French Revolution.

Cordelier

/ ˌkɔːdɪˈlɪə /

noun

1. RC Church a Franciscan friar of the order of the Friars Minor

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cordelier¹

1350–1400; < Middle French; replacing Middle English cordeler. See cordelle, -er ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cordelier¹

C19: from Old French cordelle, literally: a little cord, from the knotted cord girdles that they wear

Example Sentences

He wrote to a friend when he was 23: “There are two ways, I have discovered, of wearing despair. One is all over your clothes, a great vestment hanging well over your shoes and liable to trip you; the other is to tie it about your middle like a Cordelier’s rope — only under your pants — to make you keep your belly in.”

From New York Times

One longs to ask whether the "Père Duchesne" and the "Vieux Cordelier" were publications fit to be read in the drawing-rooms of virtuous families; whether Mirabeau's private character was quite blameless; whether Marat and Hébert had led reputable lives; whether Camille Desmoulins was habitually received into the highest circles; whether Théroigne de Méricourt was the sort of young woman one's wife would like to invite to tea.

From Project Gutenberg

Vincent Antoine Ganganelli, born the 31st October 1705, at St. Archangelo near Ripaini, Cordelier, cardinal in 1765, elected pope the 19th May, 1769, crowned the 4th of June, of same year, died the 22d Sept.

From Project Gutenberg

It has two Dances of Death, the first of which is the usual Macaber Dance, with the following figures: “Le Pape, l’Empereur, le Cardinal, l’Archevesque, le Chevalier, l’Evesque, l’Escuyer, l’Abè, le Prevost, le Roy, le Patriarche, le Connestable, l’Astrologien, le Bourgoys, le Chanoine, le Moyne, l’Usurier, le Medesin, l’Amoureux, l’Advocat, le Menestrier, le Marchant, le Chartreux, le Sergent, le Cure, le Laboureur, le Cordelier.”

From Project Gutenberg

En l’an 1429 le cordelier Richard preschant aux Innocens estoit monté sur ung hault eschaffaut qui estoit près de toise et demie de hault, le dos tourné vers les charniers encontre la charounerie, à l’endroit de la danse Macabre.”

From Project Gutenberg