Strigolnik

noun

Stri·​gol·​nik

strə̇ˈgälnik

plural Strigolniks

-ks

also Strigolniki

-nəkē

: one of a Russian sect that broke away from the Eastern Orthodox Church in the 14th century in protest against the practice of charging fees for the administration of sacraments

Word History

Etymology

Russian Strigol'nik, literally, cutter, shearer; akin to Old Slavic strišti to cut, shear, Latin stringere to touch lightly, graze; from the practice ascribed to the sect's leader of himself cutting the hair of new converts

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