What does amice mean?
An amice is a rectangular piece of white linen worn by clergy around the neck and shoulders beneath the other vestments used at the Eucharist. It is the first garment put on when a priest vests, and traditional practice attaches a short prayer to each movement of dressing it. The word also has an older, secular sense: in medieval Europe an amice was a fur-lined hood or shoulder cape worn for warmth by monks, scholars, and others, which explains why early depictions show it drawn up over the head like a hood. Today the term survives mainly in liturgical manuals, church architecture and art scholarship, and discussions of historical costume. Though obscure outside these circles, it is a precise and useful word for anyone writing about religious ritual or medieval dress, carrying connotations of tradition, solemnity, and continuity with centuries of worship.
nounA white linen vestment worn around the neck and shoulders by clergy when celebrating the Eucharist, forming part of traditional liturgical dress. In medieval usage, it also referred to a fur-lined hood or cape worn for warmth.
- A white linen cloth worn around the neck and shoulders by priests under other Eucharistic vestments.
- Historically, a fur-lined hood or cape worn in medieval Europe, especially by monks and scholars.
"Before vesting for Mass, the priest said a prayer while placing the amice over his head."
"The altar server handed the priest the folded amice before the service began."
"In illuminated manuscripts, monks are often depicted wearing a warm amice pulled up over their heads."
The standard plural follows regular English -s inflection and appears mainly in liturgical and historical texts.
"The sacristy cupboard held several freshly laundered amices."
Every time a traditional Catholic priest dresses for Mass, he begins not with the chasuble but with a humble square of linen called the amice — once worn as a hood against the cold.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of amice
The word amice entered English from Old French in the medieval period, ultimately deriving from the Latin amictus, meaning a mantle or cloak, which itself comes from the verb amicire, 'to wrap around'. The ecclesiastical garment took its name from this Latin term via medieval church usage, while the older English sense of a fur-lined hood reflects the garment's practical origins. Romance-language cognates such as Italian amitto preserve the same Latin ancestry.
How amice is actually used
The term is almost exclusively encountered in ecclesiastical, historical, or academic contexts and would rarely appear in everyday conversation. Its medieval 'hood' sense is now chiefly of interest to historians of costume.
Easily confused with amice
Amuse is a verb meaning to entertain or make someone laugh, whereas amice is a noun denoting a priestly linen vestment.
Amiss describes something wrong or out of place, while amice is a piece of clerical clothing worn at the shoulders.