cassock

noun

cas·​sock ˈka-sək How to pronounce cassock (audio)
: a close-fitting ankle-length garment worn especially in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches by the clergy and by laypersons assisting in services

Illustration of cassock

Illustration of cassock

Examples of cassock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Two priests had raised their cassocks and were peeing into his path. Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026 Off went the jackets and backpacks, on came burgundy cassocks and white surplices. ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026 Essay topics include Sedaris serving as caretaker for his boyfriend Hugh after hip replacement surgery, buying a cape for his equally famous sister Amy Sedaris, riding a horse named Tequila in Guatemala and buying a priest’s cassock in Vatican City. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026 The delight in contemporizing the antiquated past may feel akin to the Pope in cassocks and a White Sox baseball cap, or a good medieval meme. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cassock

Word History

Etymology

Middle French casaque

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cassock was in 1631

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cassock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cassock. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

cassock

noun
cas·​sock ˈkas-ək How to pronounce cassock (audio)
: a close-fitting ankle-length garment worn by clergy (as in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches)

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