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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Cite this Entry

“Praetexta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/praetexta. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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