pallium

noun

pal·​li·​um ˈpa-lē-əm How to pronounce pallium (audio)
plural pallia ˈpa-lē-ə How to pronounce pallium (audio) or palliums
1
a
: a white woolen band with pendants in front and back worn over the chasuble by a pope or archbishop as a symbol of full episcopal authority
b
: a draped rectangular cloth worn as a cloak by men of ancient Greece and Rome
2
[New Latin, from Latin, cloak]
b(1)
: the mantle of a mollusk or brachiopod
(2)
: the mantle of a bird

Examples of pallium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pope Benedict chose a pallium that had not been worn for about a millennium. Nbc News, NBC news, 18 May 2025 As part of the rites, Leo received the ring of the fisherman from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle — a symbol of the pontiff's authority and reference to Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, regarded as the first pope — as well as the pallium, a white vestment traditionally worn by the pope. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 18 May 2025 The two symbols of the papacy handed to Leo were the pallium stole and the fisherman’s ring. Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025 However, neither group seemed to want to resolve the discrepancy between their two theories of how vertebrate palliums evolved, according to García-Moreno. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Wired News, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pallium

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pallium was in the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Pallium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pallium. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

pallium

noun
pal·​li·​um ˈpal-ē-əm How to pronounce pallium (audio)
plural pallia -ē-ə How to pronounce pallium (audio) or palliums

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