Almuce

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical headpiece usually made from fur, used in medieval ceremonies as part of an elaborate outfit
2. A ceremonial hood, often crafted from luxurious materials, worn in the past by high-ranking individuals
3. A type of ornamental headgear traditionally constructed from fur, serving as a distinctive element in ceremonial attire during medieval periods

Etymology: Almuce is a doublet of "mutch", the same word reaching English by two different routes. Its ancestor is the Medieval Latin "almucia", which in turn came from an Arabic-derived source, and it shares its origin with "amice", the linen vestment worn by priests at the neck and shoulders. The two words were long confused in medieval writing, and both names were used for fur-lined hoods and capes worn by clergy and canons. The reason the word survives in two forms is that one branch entered English directly as "almuce", while the other passed through Scots and became "mutch", a close-fitting cap or hood. A doublet like this is a useful reminder that a single medieval word could split into a learned English form and a regional one, each carrying a slightly different sense for centuries.