amice

noun

am·​ice ˈa-məs 

: a liturgical vestment made of an oblong piece of cloth usually of white linen and worn about the neck and shoulders and partly under the alb

Word History

Etymology

Middle English amice, amyse "liturgical vestment, wrap, cloak," borrowed from Anglo-French amice, aumice, perhaps a conflation of amit "liturgical vestment" with amuce, aumuce, almuce "cap, hood," borrowed from or going back to Medieval Latin almutia, almucia, of obscure origin; amit going back to Latin amictus "mantle, cloak, head covering, clothing," from amiciō, amicere "to cover (with an outer garment), clothe," from am-, assimilated form of amb- "around, about," + jacere "to throw, cast" + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at ambient entry 1, jet entry 3

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

amice

noun

am·​ice ˈam-əs 

: a white linen cloth worn around the neck and shoulders under other vestments by a priest at Mass