antimension

[ ahn-dee-meen-see-awn; English an-ti-men-see-on ]

noun

, Greek Orthodox Church.

, plural an·ti·men·si·a [ahn-dee-, meen, -see-ah, an-ti-, men, -see-, uh].

1. a consecrated linen or silk cloth, kept on an altar, to which is sewn a linen or silk bag containing relics of saints.

Word History and Origins

Origin of antimension¹

From Medieval Latin antimēnsium, from Medieval Greek antimínsion, antimḗsion, equivalent to Greek anti- “against, opposite of” + Latin mēns(a) “table” + Greek -ion noun suffix; anti-