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saio

habit, monk's robe

noun SAH-yoh Rare
Arts & Culture Religion

Origin: Late Latin sagum (military cloak), of Gaulish origin

Usage Note

Saio is the long rough tunic worn by Franciscan and other mendicant friars, and by penitents. Its plural is regular: i sai. Do not confuse with tonaca (the general term for a monk's habit, with a hood) or abito talare (a priest's cassock). The word appears frequently in hagiographic and medieval literary texts.

Examples

"Il frate indossava un umile saio marrone."

Natural Translation

The friar wore a humble brown habit.

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