praetexta

or pre·tex·ta

[ pree-tek-stuh ]

noun

, plural prae·tex·tae [pree-, tek, -stee].

1. (in ancient Rome) a white toga with a broad purple border, worn by priests and magistrates as an official costume, and by certain other Romans as ceremonial dress.
2. a similar garment worn by a boy until he assumed the toga virilis, or by a girl until she married.

Word History and Origins

Origin of praetexta¹

1595–1605; < Latin, short for toga praetexta literally, bordered toga. See pretext

Example Sentences

Each wore a wreath of corn, a white fillet and the praetexta.

From Project Gutenberg

They also wore the toga praetexta, which, though associated by us with secular magistrates, had undoubtedly a religious origin.

From Project Gutenberg

Octavia, a late praetexta ascribed to Seneca, was certainly not written by him.

From Project Gutenberg