praetexta

noun

prae·​tex·​ta

variants or less commonly pretexta

prēˈtekstə

plural praetextae

-kˌstē

: a white robe with a purple border originally worn by an ancient Roman magistrate or priest and later by a Roman boy before he assumed the toga virilis or until about the end of his 14th year and by a girl until marriage

Word History

Etymology

Latin (toga) praetexta, literally, bordered toga, from toga + praetexta, feminine of praetextus bordered, from past participle of praetexere to weave in front, fringe, border

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