soutane

[ soo-tahn ]

noun

, Ecclesiastical.

1. a cassock.

soutane

/ suːˈtæn /

noun

1. RC Church a priest's cassock

Word History and Origins

Origin of soutane¹

1830–40; < French < Italian sottana, feminine of sottano placed below, equivalent to sott ( o ) below (< Latin subtus ) + -ano -an; form of the French word influenced by sous under

Word History and Origins

Origin of soutane¹

C19: from French, from Old Italian sottana, from Medieval Latin subtanus (adj) (worn) beneath, from Latin subtus below

Example Sentences

A young lean priest in a discolored soutane came up to the car.

From Literature

A delegation of cardinals and bishops, in their cream and white tropical soutanes, then greeted the royals.

From New York Times

The 1957-58 shirtwaist of shot-silk—bronze roses on black—has a tight bodice that buttons up like a bishop’s soutane and a skirt that flares out from a crow’s murder of small tucks.

From Wall Street Journal

The Pushkin fairy-tale murals wrap around the dining room — kings and clergymen, surplice and soutane and ladies in waiting.

From Seattle Times

He bounded up the few stairs to the verandah, holding his soutane up like a bride holding a wedding dress.

From Literature