dossal

or dos·sel

[ dos-uhl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Also an ornamental hanging placed at the back of an altar or at the sides of the chancel.
Archaic. dosser ¹( def 2 ).

dossal

/ ˈdɒsəl /

an ornamental hanging, placed at the back of an altar or at the sides of a chancel

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Origin of dossal¹

1650–60; < Medieval Latin dossale, for Latin dorsale, neuter of dorsālis, equivalent to dors ( um ) back + -ālis -al ¹

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Origin of dossal¹

C17: from Medieval Latin dossāle, neuter of dossālis, variant of dorsālis dorsal

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Very beautiful, likewise, are the Maries that he made on the altar-dossal, lamenting the Dead Christ.

Sometimes a painting takes its place, or a dossal—a decorated curtain of as rich material as circumstances will allow.

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