vimpa

[ vim-puh ]

noun

, Roman Catholic Church.

1. a silk veil falling over the shoulders and extending down the arms and over the hands, worn by acolytes who carry the miter and crosier at a Pontifical Mass.

Word History and Origins

Origin of vimpa¹

< Medieval Latin < Germanic; wimple

Example Sentences

Latest innovation at St. Mary's: the use of a vimpa, a scarf of thin white silk worn around the neck, by which a bishop's mitre and crozier are held, to protect them from the human touch.

From Time Magazine Archive

Rumor in Manhattan last week was that, along with Father Williams, the other Cowley Fathers would leave St. Mary the Virgin, presumably taking the vimpa with them.

From Time Magazine Archive