n. 1. Roman Catholic Church a. A monk's sleeveless outer garment that hangs from the shoulders and sometimes has a cowl. b. A pair of pieces of cloth joined by shoulder bands and worn under clothing on the chest and back as a sacramental, sometimes entailing lay affiliation with a religious order. 2. One of the feathers covering the shoulder of a bird. adj. also scap·u·lar·y (-lĕr′ē) Anatomy Of or relating to the shoulder or scapula. [Middle English scapulare, from Late Latin scapulāre, from neuter of scapulāris, pertaining to the shoulders or scapulae, from scapula, shoulder; see SCAPULA.] |
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